


Bound To You

by percabethica



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, immortality AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:27:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27402733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/percabethica/pseuds/percabethica
Summary: At the end of the Second Titan War, a dazzled Percy accepts the shining offer of immortality, and a shunted Annabeth pledges herself to Artemis. But it's not so easy to avoid the love of your life when the world keeps bringing you together, and especially when the looming threat of the earth itself has something to say about it.Or, there's a good five or six decades between the events of PJO/HOO.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 22
Kudos: 127





	Bound To You

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you if you decide to read this! Part two is on its way, though it may take a while as I'm suuuper busy. Here is a huge chunk for now, you can find me @percabethica on tumblr or on here! Ask, comments and kudos are well appreciated <3

He took their offer. He didn’t know how to say no, possibly. He was scared they would be offended if he refused. Maybe he was just scared of dying after everything that he’d witnessed. It would make sense. He accepted the greatest gift that the Olympians could bestow.

Beside her, Thalia grabbed Annabeth’s wrist and just held it. If her throat had choked up and her eyes filled with tears, she hadn’t noticed, but Thalia had. She wasn’t hurt by it. Percy’s choice made sense. It was the right thing to do. He would be an immortal hero forever, able to make sure the gods kept their promises until the end of time.

As soon as Zeus had finished speaking, Annabeth stepped forward and pledged herself to Artemis. Whispers rippled through the crowd of gathered demigods, even gods looking at one another as if the move was unexpected. Artemis’ eyes, glowing like the moon, softened into a welcoming light as she accepted her new huntress. Aphrodite looked as if someone had stabbed her in the chest. Everyone except Annabeth was looking at Percy.

There was a celebration on Olympus, but Annabeth didn’t attend. She took off with the Huntresses as soon as possible, feeling physically stronger and emotionally weaker than she ever had.

They set up camp for the night in a beautiful forest clearing, in full view of the night sky. Artemis assured her brave girls that this forest was free of dangerous beasts, so they could rest from their battle in safety and peace. Thalia, as lieutenant, requested for Annabeth to share her tent, and no one objected.

“I didn’t expect him to accept it.” Thalia looked unnerved, but mostly, her expression was tinged with pain. “Are you okay, Annabeth?”

She shrugged numbly. “Why shouldn’t he? He earned it. I’m fine.”

“That can’t be true. You… you love him.”

“No.” Annabeth’s grey eyes were steely, angry. “I swore off of romantic love. I refuse to let myself be one of those women who spend their whole lives trying to win back the affections of a god. I won’t have my achievements as a hero be reduced to the girl who loved the immortal Percy Jackson and had his fucking demigod children in a desperate attempt to bring him back around. I won’t age and watch my beauty fade as he loses interest in me. I’m better than that.”

She swallowed thickly. “How can I pretend he loved me back when he was so ready to leave me behind? Percy, Luke. I’m the best at picking guys who ultimately don’t care. So I’ll quit with love while I’m ahead.”

Thalia looked a lot like Percy. Her eyebrows twisted in hurt and confusion the same way his did when Annabeth said something that upset them. They had similar eyes, even if Thalia’s were electric blue compared to his sea green. The same choppy black hair. There were plenty of differences, of course - Thalia’s pointed nose and downturned lips, her slanted jaw, compared to Percy’s handsome, boyish features and bright grin. They looked a little similar and a little different, but it was enough that looking at Thalia was painful. Annabeth looked away.

“I thought he would pull through for you. After everything.”

Annabeth touched her healing shoulder wound. A poisoned blade in exchange for his life, which would now never end. He owed her. She choked back her _I thought he would too_ and shrugged a second time.

**Fifty Years And Three Months After**

“Huntresses, to me!” Artemis called out. The girls gathered around her, their bows appearing on their backs. Annabeth adjusted her silver parka and locked eyes with Thalia, curious. If anyone would know why they were summoned somewhere, it would be the lieutenant. In response, Thalia shrugged.

“My lady?” One of the girls asked.

Artemis beckoned them closer. “There is a beast in these woods that has been damaging the wildlife and causing extreme panic and losses amongst the local nymphs. Dryads and naiads have been crying out to me for help, and a distressed satyr made a particularly large sacrifice to get my attention. As always, it is our duty as huntresses to hunt harmful beasts.”

Thalia chuckled. “Fuck yeah. Let’s go rescue some nymphs.”

They moved silently and swiftly through the woods, merely a flash of silver like a moonbeam shining between the trunks. The beast left obvious tracks, but they were large. The huntresses had taken down much larger, of course, but it wasn’t the kind of beast nymphs were really equipped to handle.

It had grown dark when they heard it - a chilling screech, and the heavy thundering of a beast pounding towards them.

“No!” A nearby dryad screamed, solidifying into her tree to try and escape the beast’s rampage. Her tree was completely flattened, as a gigantic boar barreled into the space and grunted. It almost didn’t seem to fit in such a densely packed forest, which Artemis was upset about.

“A beast like this should be free in the mountains or grasslands to run as it pleases,” She lamented, “But since it is causing a nuisance here, we must act.”

They began firing whenever it drew close enough. The arrows never missed, guided by years upon years of honed skill and the goddess of archery’s guidance, but they were like porcupine needles on such a huge beast. They would be able to take it down, but it would take a long time. This was a formidable enemy.

Eliana, one of Annabeth’s favourite comrades, wore a scowl. “This is never going to work. We have to get closer to it, attack directly. Do you trust me?”

She pointed towards one of the trees, with a thick branch jutting out of the trunk just above the height of the boar. It was wide enough to balance on top of, at least for a skilled immortal huntress.

“You get on the branch and distract it with your arrows. While it’s preoccupied with you, I’ll sneak close underneath it. It’ll be more vulnerable there, and combined with all of the arrow wounds, that should kill it.”

Annabeth looked for Thalia to try and gage her thoughts - the plan was logical and it made sense, as Annabeth’s experience in battle strategy and gifts from her mother told her - but it was wise to check in with Artemis’ lieutenant just in case. Unfortunately, Thalia was preoccupied shepherding some of the huntresses to the creature’s left side, as Artemis and the others took the right. The risk was worth taking, so she nodded.

The side of the tree had deep grooves raked into it, likely swiped by the claws of an angry monster. They made for decent footholds, and Annabeth wasted no time climbing up, her many falls on the Camp Half-Blood lava wall and years of practise ensuring she remained steady. When she got onto the branch and steadied herself, she drew back her bow and yelled.

“HEY! OVER HERE!”

The boar squealed angrily at her voice and turned around, taking out a row of trees like it was nothing just from its rear. 

Its beady eyes glinted and narrowed; they were bloodshot and weeping, its tusks alarmingly sharp. The creature started gathering speed and began to charge, growing closer and closer by the second. Annabeth took aim and fired, releasing a silver arrow that went whistling through the air and straight into one of its eyes. Struck by the pain, the beast roared and reared up, and then there came a scream.

A human scream.

There was no time to dwell on the sound - the boar was closing in, and nothing was stopping it. Instinctively, Annabeth leapt from the branch and braced herself to land on its back, pulling out her knife in midair. The Huntresses usually fought with bows, but many of them had other weapons for close range fighting and Annabeth had never been able to let go of her bronze knife.

She landed just behind its head, its coarse fur pricking her skin like needles, and immediately dove her knife into its back as hard as she could. As expected, it began to buck and try and throw her off, but she hung on for as long as she could, dragging her knife further and further along it. When it finally threw her off, she went flying through the air and into the base of a tree, just in time to watch the boar squeal and disintegrate into dust. It left nothing but tusks behind.

The dryad whose tree she’d crashed into materialised before her. “Goodness! Thank you for that, I hope you’re okay!”

Annabeth struggled to her feet with the nymph’s help, winded but otherwise unhurt. Being immortal had its perks. She saw the rest of the huntresses regrouping, and limp-ran to join them.

“Who got hur-” She started, suddenly remembering the scream. She trailed off as something silver glinted just out of her peripheral vision - a girl in a silver parka, lying on the ground. Without a second thought, she collapsed at the girl’s side and began to cry.

“Eliana!”

Eliana was shuddering to breathe, her eyes glassy. A little bit of blood trickled out the side of her mouth, and though she tried not to examine her friend too closely, it was impossible to ignore how sickeningly _flattened_ she looked. Annabeth didn’t need to examine, or indeed look any closer, to surmise that her entire torso, from ribs to hips, had been crushed under the boar’s weight.

“No, no, no! This was all my fault, Eli I’m so sorry!”

Artemis joined Annabeth at Eliana’s side, her gaze sorrowful. The other huntresses gathered in a circle around her, a silent show of respect. Thalia rested her hand on Annabeth’s shoulder.

“My Lady... I will rest.” Eliana’s voice was weak, but she smiled faintly. “Three hundred years of service… and now I can rest.”

Annabeth could barely see through her tears. Her fellow huntress took her hand.

“You did everything right… It was my misjudgement. But we won. And I will rest.”

Artemis touched her forehead, just as Eliana’s eyes fluttered shut. “As you wish, my brave maiden.”

A moment passed, and her body disappeared. Annabeth broke down in sobs, letting Thalia bundle her into a hug and pull her to her feet. It was so unfair, so ghastly to witness. Even an immortal huntress could die in battle, could take a risk for a noble cause and end up crushed underfoot by a charging beast. It wasn’t even a dignified death, and that thought made her cry even harder.

“It is always difficult,” Artemis mused sadly, “To lose a maiden of ours. But I forget just how hard you young ones take it.”

Thalia stroked Annabeth’s hair, mumbling to try and soothe her pain and grief. The strain in her voice gave away her similar bereavement, and the two girls clung to one another. While all of them were heartbroken by the death, at fifty years of immortality, Annabeth and Thalia were the youngest - the least used to such cruel losses. Even thinking about Silena and Beckendorf, years on, made her feel choked up.

After a moment, Thalia dried her tears and pulled herself together, but she held Annabeth close for a little longer. Then, she gently extricated her from the embrace and smiled gently, “Hey, this might cheer you up. Turn around.”

Standing behind them was a familiar face, twisted with regret and sadness. He wrung his hands, which were clutching a ragged hat and a pair of reed pipes, and his hooves nervously scraped at the ground.

Grover had aged, but not a lot. He looked to be in his early thirties, finally looking like an adult after such a long time. Satyrs aged half as fast as humans, and Grover had always been a little behind. It was strange to see him so grown up, but his mournful expression at the carnage and his kind heart were achingly familiar. He was even a little moony-eyed over Artemis still.

“I’m the one who called for you,” He told them guiltily, his eyes shining. “I’m so sorry about your friend.”

Artemis stepped forwards. “Nonsense, brave satyr. Your kindness saved many lives. You did the right thing.”

Grover blushed, but he still looked upset. “Thank you, Lady Artemis.”

“I think we will set up here for tonight, girls. Thalia, you know what to do.” The goddess shimmered and disappeared, presumably finding Hermes to pass on the message to Hades about how to treat her fallen huntress. Thalia began barking orders of where to set up the tents and lay out the supplies, leaving just Annabeth and Grover in the newly-destroyed clearing.

“Long time no see, Annabeth. You don’t look a day over sixteen.”

It was a weak joke, but Annabeth managed a laugh. Her heart was heavy, but Grover’s presence always managed to lighten it.

“You look so grown up, goat boy. How have you been? How’s Juniper?”

His face lit up. “Juniper… Oh, Annabeth, you have to visit camp soon. Cedar is such an adorable little satyr, he has his mom’s eyes and his dad’s hair…”

It was nice to listen to, updates about Grover’s life, but a painful reminder that life was moving on. Annabeth was sixteen and would remain that way as her old friends aged, albeit much slower in Grover’s case, whereas by now, she should’ve been entering her late sixties had she survived so long. They regaled each other with their stories - Annabeth of hunting wild beasts and discovering beautiful sights, Grover of his restoration work in the Council of Cloven Elders and continuing the work of Pan. They avoided him right up until Grover couldn’t any longer.

“Percy comes to camp pretty often.”

Annabeth blinked, didn’t react. “That’s nice. He always liked it there.”

“Yeah.” Grover looked uncomfortable. “He talks about y-”

“Don’t do this.” Annabeth cut him off. “You don’t have to lie to me. He doesn’t talk about me. He’s too busy being a god.”

Grover shook his head. “I swear. Empathy link.”

“You’re just trying to make me feel better. I get it, it was obvious that I was hurt when he did it. But I’m past that now, I promise. You don’t have to say that.”

He looked as if he wanted to argue, but saw reason and didn’t. Annabeth knew she was right - star-crossed love stories were never thwarted so easily, and so theirs clearly hadn’t been a love story at all. 

A horrible thought crept its way into her mind, which she did her best to bury. She knew very well the nature of the gods, even the good ones. Grover seemed to sense it - damned satyr abilities - but he tried not to make it obvious, even if his face said it all. He looked wistful, and melancholy.

Finally, he heaved a sigh. “No, Annabeth. He doesn’t. Not one.”

Caught off guard, Annabeth stuttered. “Doesn’t- doesn’t what?”

“You know.” All of a sudden, this goofy, brave-yet-often-terrified satyr she knew and loved seemed wiser, older, more sensible. “He doesn’t have any demigod children. Any mortal or immortal lovers. All he does is rescue sea creatures in peril and help young heroes. He takes them out of dangerous schools and towns, guides them to safety, protects them on their quests. Almost no one dies before their time because of him. They all get claimed. People have started calling him the Demigod Guardian.”

Annabeth shouldered her bow and forced the lump in her throat back down. “He was always a good person.”

“Come to Camp Half-Blood soon. When Artemis goes to Olympus for the solstice, you know you’re welcome. You can meet my son, talk to Chiron…”

“I don’t want to see Percy again. Our friendship ran its course fifty years ago, Grover.”

“Do you expect to be able to avoid him forever? He’s immortal, you’re immortal. Your paths are bound to cross one day.”

The question hit Annabeth harder than she would ever admit. She was an eternal maiden, but that didn’t mean the feelings she’d once felt had disappeared forever. He was just in a state of _the one that got away_ , a memory she would always have and never dream of acting on.

“Not if he stays away from me. Not if I die in combat, like Eliana did…” She dabbed at her tears, welling up once again at the fresh waves of guilt and sadness. Angry at the way Grover could expose her deepest feelings so easily, she clenched her fists and steeled her jaw. “I took a poisoned blade for an invulnerable hero and he didn’t have the guts to kiss me even once for it. Maybe I’ll take another one day, and Hades himself can damn me if I take it for _him._ ”

Grover frowned. “You’re an idiot if you don’t think Percy would destroy everything in his path to prevent you from dying if you got hurt.”

“Then label me an idiot, Grover. Go back to Juniper and Cedar. We did your little favour.”

**Fifty Years And Seven Months After**

Chiron looked the same as ever. Same scraggly beard, same kind eyes, same clothing that resembled an English professor, same well-maintained coat on his horse half. He bowed respectfully as the huntresses entered, and pulled Annabeth into a brief hug on the steps of the Big House.

“My dear, it’s good to have you back. I assume you and your huntresses are ready to win Capture The Flag for the eighty-fifth time?”

There was a tinge of playful bitterness in his voice, and Annabeth grinned. “I like to be on the winning team. Athena always has a plan, and Artemis never misses a shot.”

“The odds are extremely favourable.” Chiron agreed. “Ah, Grover! Here she is.”

Grover trotted towards them, and Annabeth stepped out to meet him halfway. In his arms, tiny goat legs kicking as if he was trying to walk on the air, a pint-sized satyr wriggled and beamed at them.

“Blah-ha-ha! Cedar, be careful! Auntie Annabeth may be immortal, but she’s not immune to your hooves!”

Annabeth’s heart melted at the sight of him. He was unbelievably cute, all big brown eyes like a baby cow, his pudgy toddler hands reaching out for the stray curls falling from her braid. She skillfully dodged having her hair ripped out and took him, shifting experimentally before settling and kissing the top of his head. After a second of adjustment to being held by this new person, Cedar snuggled up and closed his eyes, snoring on Annabeth’s shoulder.

“He takes after you, I see,” Annabeth joked, beginning to walk alongside Grover through the camp. “Really, though. You and Juniper must be so happy.”

Grover brayed happily. “She’s already talking about having another. I think we’ll wait a little bit, but she’s desperate to add a little nymph to our family too. I’m not totally against the idea.”

Camp looked much the same, and surprisingly, the little improvements that had been made didn’t make her feel homesick, like she’d expected. Nowadays, home was the silver tent, Thalia’s scratchy laugh, campfire nights with a band of immortal girls. Camp was a fond memory, but it didn’t hurt.

Someone was sitting by the creek, a little way off in the distance. Annabeth didn’t need her heightened immortal senses to know exactly who it was, and her stomach flipped. Worse, though, was the sudden voice that floated out: _“Want to see how it could’ve been different?”_

“What?” Annabeth asked.

Grover looked puzzled. “I didn’t say anything. Annabeth, are you— _Annabeth!”_

_“Then up on Olympus,” Percy was saying. He was sat next to her by the creek, the two of them sharing what looked like a blue cupcake, “when they wanted to make me a god and stuff, I kept thinking-”_

_Annabeth laughed at him. The sun was shining, and she’d never felt happier despite everything. “Oh, you so wanted to.”_

_“Well, maybe a little. But I didn't, because I thought - I didn't want things to stay the same for eternity, because things could always get better. and I was thinking…”_

_“Anyone in particular?” Annabeth asked, her voice soft._

_“You're laughing at me,” Percy complained, pouting. He had that baby-seal look in his eyes, the one that always made Annabeth roll her eyes and her heart skip a beat at the same time._

_“I am not!”_

_“You are so not making this easy.”_

_“I am never, ever going to make things easy for you, Seaweed Brain. Get used to it.”_

_Then they were kissing, wrapped up in each other until the other campers came out, whooping and cheering, tossing them into the lake and jeering about how they’d finally stopped dancing around each other._

“Annabeth! Gods, are you alright?”

Grover was standing over her, his brow furrowed in concern. Cedar looked at her curiously. Hadn’t she just been holding him? Why was she on the ground?

_“Wasted potential,”_ The voice said again. “ _A real shame._ ”

“Who’s saying that?!” Annabeth demanded, getting to her feet.

Grover looked, if possible, even more concerned. His eyebrows knitted together. “No one said anything. Should I get you to the infirmary, or-”

“No.” Annabeth cut him off. “Some trickster is messing with me, probably. I’m fine. Uh, let’s head back to the pavilion. We have games to prepare for later.”

She avoided looking in Percy’s direction and quickly steered them away from the creek, her face hot. Whatever that vision was, it had shaken her to her core.

A few hours later, in Cabin Eight, Thalia finally pressed her as to why she seemed so angry and freaked out. The cabin had emptied out, as most of the huntresses had gone to start arguments with other campers or to train in the archery range. Of course, she had no intention of filling in her friend with the actual truth, but Thalia was fiery and persistent, and their long history made it difficult to avoid. Sometimes, Annabeth looked at her and she was seven years old again, fascinated by this heroic twelve year old who was her new big sister and protector from monsters. Reluctantly, she told her what had happened.

It was a mistake. Thalia’s heavily-lined eyes widened, and her eyebrows shot up into her hairline. “Uh oh. That’s not good. That sounds like-”

Annabeth winced and held up a hand to stop her. “I know who it sounds like.”

The thought had crossed her mind pretty much straight after she had caught her bearings from passing out. A pleasant, warm voice, offering tantalising visions of what could have been, or pure fabrications designed to entice, trick, and lead astray. Annabeth knew exactly who had the power and motivation to do that.

“Do you think it was real?” Thalia asked.

Annabeth scoffed. “Of course not. She made it up, obviously.”

“Obviously.” She agreed. “But I mean… do you think that’s what would’ve happened if… if he’d said no? Because I do.”

Thalia’s words hurt too much to hear. “It was just a vision. I’m being messed with, that’s it.”

She sat down heavily on the closest bunk and sighed, fifty years of resentment cold and uncomfortable in her chest. For a moment, Thalia stood guiltily, her foot tapping nervously against the ground in her big black boots, as if she regretted planting that thought in either of their heads. Then, she heaved a similar deep sigh and sat down next to Annabeth. 

“Listen. I love you like you’re my sister, Annabeth. I always will. But this…” Her face went dark. “If what we suspect is true… if Aphrodite is giving you visions like that…”

“I know.” Annabeth said shortly. “But-“

Thalia cut in. “No. You don’t. If she’s doing this, it’s _bad._ The Huntresses have been a refuge for girls trying to escape Aphrodite’s clutches for millennia, but that doesn’t mean it’s foolproof. You know the stories. If she wants a girl to fall in love, she could ruin you. You need to be careful, Annabeth. She could put you under a spell and Artemis would have to punish _you_ for it.”

As if she didn’t know that. As if Annabeth of all people hadn’t considered what her fate might be if she left the Huntresses or was kicked out. She really didn’t want to spend eternity as a deer. 

She looked up at the ceiling, imagining the sky above her. “Why bother me with this?” She called out, Thalia’s eyes widening at her boldness. “He’s the god! He’s the one who chose immortality over me! Torment him with it! I-”

Her voice cracked. “I would’ve chosen him. You know that. So why torment me?”

Thalia bit her lip. “Annabeth, be-“

“Careful.” She spat, scowling at the ceiling and then at her closest friend. “I’m nothing but careful, okay? He’s the one who makes me reckless. I take calculated risks when I have to, then he’s in danger and I jump in front of the poisoned blade that would’ve fucking killed him and almost die myself. Then he chooses the gods over me. So sure. I’ll be careful.”

She stood up before Thalia could respond, sick of the conversation. Truthfully, she felt too angry and irrational, and she was pretty sure she’d burst into tears if they carried on. Even worse, she wasn’t sure if she could blame Aphrodite fully, or if her own stupid heart was still betraying her after all these years. 

**Fifty Six Years And Four Months Later**

18th August had become a date Annabeth learned to dread. It loomed in the back of her mind, a painful reminder of the day she’d both won and at the same time, lost everything. She was thankful that the days seemed to pass her by without notice, what with being immortal and constantly on the hunt for another beast, but if ever they ended up in a city, and the date on top of a newspaper on display caught her eye, it made her stomach churn.

They could’ve had something, and that hurt. As much as Annabeth distrusted the love goddess, knowing she was sneaky and always working on her own agenda, she knew in the bottom of her heart that the scene she’d been shown the last time she visited Camp Half-Blood had been real. In a world where Percy hadn’t turned sixteen and thanked her for her sacrifice by abandoning her, they kissed underwater and finally embraced their feelings. 

It was stupid of her to have ever been so hopeful, she realised that now. First it had been her dad - not physically abandoning her, but emotionally leaving her at the mercy of a step-mom who hated the thought of a child from another woman, let alone a goddess. Then Thalia, her adoptive big sister in some ways, gave her life for their safety, and abandoned her. Next Luke, the hero turned villain turned hero, promising family and then turning his back on her like the word meant nothing. 

But Percy was the worst one. Percy never promised anything, because he knew better than that. His actions spoke louder than his words, the way he would smile when they were paired together for activities, the way he always asked her to join him on their adventures when he had an entire arsenal of well-trained demigods at his disposal for quests, the way he knew Annabeth’s fears and trauma and made sure to never contribute, to never let her feel useless or left behind. 

Only to then leave her behind at the last hurdle, after her feeble hopes had finally been resurrected after years of betrayal. 

These days, she just didn’t think about it anymore. She put that date and subsequently that… _hero_ out of her mind, and focused on enjoying her time with the Huntresses. At times, she found herself sympathising with the likes of Medea and Circe. No wonder they hated male heroes after they’d seemed so nice. 

It was on that horrible date that Artemis led her Huntresses towards a small beach town along the east coast, if the flickering signs were anything to go off. They arrived at night, the girls spreading out across the pier as they looked around for signs of anyone. She had sensed demigods in the area, and was sure they needed help. 

The pier was an amalgamation of every cheap attraction and entertainment park known to man. Everything was lit by dusty, blinking neon signs and colourful spotlights, giving the otherwise darkened pier an eerie, unnatural glow. Most of the rides and games were abandoned, algae and rust gathering on the previously bright exteriors, and the planks of the boardwalk were dirty and missing chunks along the way. Through the cracks, she could see into the sand and sea below, the pier jutting out over a small section of the beach before extending into the water. The sea air blew achingly cold in the chill of the night.

“We need to find them.” Charity urged, her silver parka zipped all the way up to her chin. “They’ll freeze out here, poor girls. They have to be nearby, right?”

“I hope so.” Annabeth responded, shouldering her bow. “I feel weird about this place. Like something’s here.”

Charity blinked. “A monster?”

“I don’t know,” Annabeth replied truthfully, “Probably. If there’s two unclaimed half-bloods roaming around, there’s guaranteed to be monsters trailing them. But I don’t see anything.”

The only people in sight were the Huntresses, spread out across the pier in search of the demigods. In front of one of the shops, full of ragged merchandise that had clearly been brand new in the 1990s or so, a figure was slumped in a fishing chair with a hat over his face, presumably asleep. Unusual, but probably not a monster. They were alone. 

Annabeth and Charity peered behind an old horse racing game and frowned. “Nothing. I feel like we’ve searched this whole place. Maybe Artemis was wrong.”

Before she could agree, Annabeth stopped. “Do you smell that?”

“Smell what?”

“Smoke?” Annabeth sniffed again. “Like there’s a fire nearby. Am I going crazy?”

Charity stuck her nose in the air. “All I smell is fish and the sea. Not sm- Oh! Yeah! Smoke!”

“They must be near.” Annabeth whirled around, her eyes darting back and forth. “But where…”

She trailed off, her keen eyes spotting a flicker of orange beneath them. Just through a small gap in the wooden planks, she could make out a small fire blazing on a pile of driftwood on the sand. The half-bloods had taken shelter under the pier.

As covertly as possible, Annabeth signalled to the rest of the Huntresses where the children were, and made her way down to the beach under the boardwalk. She forged ahead with Charity, a small number of them going in the hopes that they wouldn’t suspect it was an attack. Sometimes a group of magical girls armed with bows seemed less like friends than foes, especially after they’d been chased for so long. 

“Who’s there?!” A voice called out, as soon as they got onto the sand. “Leave us alone!”

Thalia was first to reply, her voice soothing. “The Huntresses. We’re here to help you.”

A second voice called back, “What are you hunting? I don’t trust you!”

“Not you,” Annabeth reassured them. “We hunt monsters, too. Can we come closer?”

The first voice relented. “Okay, fine. Don’t hurt us.”

They were met with the sight of two girls huddled around a fire. Both wore identical raincoats, black and emblazoned with the pier’s theme park logo on the breast pocket, and were shivering from the cold. The oldest, a pretty black girl around fourteen with braids trailing down her back, drew in the sand with a stick, her deep brown eyes reflecting the flames. Her drawing depicted various monsters in horrifying detail, enough to easily identify them - a cyclops, a scorpion, some dracanae. The other, a shorter, chubbier girl of about twelve or thirteen, who looked to be Middle-Eastern, stared at them with wide, terrified eyes. Both looked like they hadn’t eaten in at least a week or showered in at least a month, and their teeth were chattering from the wind and cold. 

Annabeth, Thalia and Charity approached, the remaining Huntresses stepping back to maintain some distance and not seem too overwhelming. They began setting up camp further back underneath the boardwalk, several feet behind where the girls had their fire. 

“Are you okay?” Charity asked, her eyebrows furrowing. “Can I get your names?”

After a pause, the first girl sighed and told them, “Emmeline,” prompting the younger one to add, “Georgia. What the _hell_ is going on? Can you girls finally give us some answers?”

Thalia chuckled sympathetically, all of them remembering exactly how that had felt. “Well, Emmeline, Georgia, there’s no point beating around the bush. You’re demigods, and that’s why monsters have been after you. One of your parents was a Greek god or goddess.”

Emmeline pursed her lips. “I always thought my dad was kidding when he said mom was a goddess. As in, she was just really amazing or something. Guess not.”

Annabeth shook her head. “Definitely not. It’s a lot to grasp, but you’re safe now. The lives of demigods can be pretty dangerous, but we can offer you safety now that we’ve found you.”

“You can?” Georgia looked relieved. “I’m so tired of running away.”

Thalia nodded. “If you like, you can join us and we’ll keep you safe. You can learn h-“

She was cut off by an unexpected voice. “Well, let’s not pretend you’re the only option. The girls deserve the full truth.”

Annabeth’s blood froze. She knew that voice too well. 

Just behind them, coming up until he was stood a little way across from them, Percy made his way across the sand and in front of the fire. He grinned widely at the girls, who were staring slack-jawed at his sudden appearance. Annabeth wasn’t quite sure that she wasn’t doing the same. 

He looked around eighteen, still tall and lean but muscular, perfectly tanned, his green eyes bright and bewitching. His black hair was windswept just so, his troublemaker grin similarly swept to the side and screaming mischief. It wasn’t hard to believe that he was a god, even if he had always looked like that. Rather than changing to fit the title, it was almost as if the title had changed to fit him. 

“I’m Percy Jackson,” He introduced himself with a smile, “Director of Camp Half-Blood, protector of heroes. It’s nice to meet you, Emmeline and Georgia.”

Georgia blinked uncomprehendingly at him, whilst Emmeline made a noise that sounded something like a mixture between a ‘hello’ and a squeak. 

“What’s the deal?” Georgia demanded. “Camp Half-Blood? Huntresses?”

“Girls like yourselves have two choices, really.” Charity explained. “There’s us, for example. We’re the maidens of Lady Artemis, goddess of the hunt and the moon, patron of young maidens. Then there’s Camp Half-Blood.”

She said it the same way someone might say ‘a trash heap’, which seemed to offend Percy. 

“A safe haven for demigods, over in Long Island. I help run it with Chiron, and we train heroes.” He defended it, and Annabeth hated the way her heart fluttered at his passion for it. It had once been her home, after all, and in a way, she was glad it was still so loved, even if it was by _him._

“I’m gonna need more than that.” Georgia shrugged, Emmeline nodding in agreement. “Pros? Cons? What’s your pitch?”

Percy grinned like he’d been waiting his whole life to answer that question. “Oh, man. You’ll learn to fight with a sword or dagger or spear, to shoot a bow, to ride _pegusi_ , race against nymphs, go canoeing, climb a lava wall… we have everything. You get to make so many new friends, eat together, train together, there’s campfire singalongs…” He seemed so happy that it almost seemed to Annabeth that he wasn’t trying to sell them on it, he was simply listing everything he loved. “When you feel like you’re totally alone and isolated because you’re a demigod and no one understands your life, Camp Half-Blood will remind you that you’re never alone. There’s always someone there who gets you.”

Thalia rolled her eyes. “Sure, Perce. Amazing. Or, girls, you could join the Huntresses. Instead of settling your roots in New York, you’ll get to travel all over the world and see things regular mortals or even demigods would never even dream of. You’ll learn how to hunt monsters and wild beasts, and be part of an incredible sisterhood that will always have your back. If you think hanging around with a god is cool, with us, you’ll be led by Artemis herself. Oh, and did I mention that you’d be immortal?”

Emmeline gasped, her eyes lighting up. 

Percy frowned. “Hm. _Conditional_ immortality, you should say. Huntresses can still die in battle.”

His argument made Annabeth angry all of a sudden, her emotions heightened by his presence. “Better than unconditional mortality. All humans die. But Huntresses never age, never get sick, nothing. The only thing you have to do is swear off of love and leave boys behind, and trust me - that’s not hard.”

She was staring straight into Percy’s eyes. He was staring straight back, his expression as unreadable as hers. If Charity noticed the tension, she didn’t make it obvious. Thalia clearly did, but said nothing. 

There was a moment of silence as their words sunk in, heavy in the dead of the night. Emmeline gazed down at her artwork, deep in thought, and Georgia studied the flames. 

“Can we sleep on it?” Emmeline piped up after a few seconds. “You’re not gonna like… leave, if we don’t decide right away?”

Annabeth shook her head. “Of course not. We can set up camp here and you can think about it for as long as you need.”

The Huntresses got to work, adding to the girls’ fire and assembling their silver tents beneath the boardwalk. Annabeth pretended Percy wasn’t anywhere near them as she busied around, determined not to give him the time of day. Soon enough, they’d set up the Huntresses’ camp and a spare tent for Emmeline and Georgia to share in the meantime. Percy and Artemis stood off to the side, talking in hushed tones that Annabeth could just about hear over the wind. 

“You can stay the night, hero. Get yourself a tent near us, but not too close to my girls. You know that I respect you, Percy Jackson, but rules are rules.”

Percy nodded. “Of course, of course. It’s an honour to see you again, My Lady. But you understand if I want to take the girls with me instead of leave them with you, right?”

Artemis smiled, and it was surprisingly genuine. “Indeed, hero. Your camp and my huntresses are both always accepting new recruits. It can get competitive, I know. Our friendly rivalry.”

He laughed, and it filled Annabeth with nauseating nostalgia - the two of them, a life or death situation, and a stupid joke that made the whole thing seem lighter and easier to manage. “Right. Speak to you in the morning, My Lady.”

“Goodnight, hero.”

Annabeth climbed into her tent and flung her quiver onto the ground, unfairly taking out her temper on her tools. The resulting clatter made Thalia look up, surprised by the commotion, and frown at her in concern.

“Annabeth?”

Words rose up in her throat like bile, sickly tasting and burning her mouth, but she swallowed them down and bit back her tears, facing away from the daughter of Zeus as she lay on her bed. This was a conversation, she knew, she would never be ready to have, so it was best to push it down, feign sleep, and pretend nothing was wrong. Thalia, undoubtedly, knew better than to believe Annabeth’s facade, but she also knew better than to question her decisions.

She wasn’t sure how long she lay there, her vision blurry, furiously trying to rid her mind of any thought related to Percy. Long enough for the camp to fall silent, long enough for Thalia’s soft snores to fill their shared space. It was comfortable and familiar, and yet it made her heart hurt.

She had grown accustomed to this; the silvery fabric of the tent reflected the night sky from the inside, and almost every night, she stared up at the stars with the sound of Thalia sleeping near her. Once upon a time, this had been far from her life. She had been used to the organised chaos of the Athena Cabin, rowdy breakfasts in the dining pavilion, the thrill of winning Capture the Flag. She had slept in demigod hideouts in Virginia, bunks of siblings, forests, commandeered pirate ships, a random hotel in Manhattan during a war. Camp Half-Blood and her time there seemed so far away - so achingly far.

Unable to drift off, Annabeth swung her legs out of bed and sighed, double checking that Thalia was definitely asleep. She was dead to the world, of course, smudges of eyeliner smeared across her cheeks and her pillow, so Annabeth wouldn’t be able to vent to her until sleep finally came for her. She decided to just venture outside for a little while, hoping the sea air would calm her nerves.

It was that hazy, awkward time of night, uncomfortably straddled between dark and light. The sky was black, moonlight rippling across the waves, but daylight was just a few hours away. Annabeth padded across the sand and finally sat, shivering, watching the horizon.

Of course he had to be here. It wasn’t fair that he kept turning up, especially when it was hard enough to keep him out of her thoughts even without him popping up every so often. Annabeth balled her fists and slammed them into the ground, needing to get some of the tension out.

“What did the sand ever do to you?” 

He sounded so gentle. There was a hint of a smile in his voice alone, so clear that Annabeth could see it - lopsided grin, hair tousled after running his hand through it, a short breathy laugh at himself, more than anyone else. She knew that he would look awkward and endearing, his confidence attractive yet reigned in by humility. She should’ve been angry that he was here, angry that he couldn’t just leave her alone when she clearly wanted to be… but she wasn’t.

“You’ll never know.” She responded.

Percy sat beside her in the sand, leaving enough space - damn his kind heart - to be respectful. “Someone just needed to teach these punk-ass rocks a lesson, huh?”

In spite of herself, she laughed. “Exactly.”

They fell silent. Annabeth watched the waves, hoping the repetitive motion would wash out the fire burning in her chest. She swore she wasn’t angry, but the flames still roared at her, and everything was confusing. Everything burned, but nothing burned hotter than Percy’s gaze onto the side of her face. He was facing towards the sea, like her, but she didn’t miss the way he kept glancing at her.

Of course, she noticed his glances because she couldn’t quite stop her own. Gods of Olympus, he looked incredible.

“So… Camp Director, huh? That’s pretty amazing.”

Percy nodded, a small, hopelessly adorable smile making its way across his face. “Yeah. Gods, I love it. When Mr D finished his time there, Chiron said it was pretty much a no-brainer. I volunteered before he even had the chance to ask me. I won’t let kids die because of divine negligence like every other immortal who never cared about us.”

He was still noble. Immortality hadn’t changed him yet, and she hated how relieved she was about it. In a way, she believed it never would - he had a way of mourning those they’d lost, improving things for those who survived, and always trying to put morale and confidence above himself and his own guilt. Percy Jackson was a hero, and he deserved his reward, even if it tore Annabeth’s soul into pieces just to think about.

She smiled weakly. “I think it suits you. You were born for that job.”

Percy lifted his hand, the water copying his movements. A small jet burst forth, twisted into the shape of a star, then returned to the ocean. “And how about you? How’s life as a Hunter of Artemis? Hunt anything cool recently?”

“Just your average, run-of-the-mill giant boar. It was pretty intense.”

She had no idea why they were talking like this; frank, honest, normal. It was almost conversational, except for the heaviness that seemed to hang in the air between them. The vision from Aphrodite plagued Annabeth’s mind, and while she had no idea what Percy was thinking, he seemed to be weighed down by something too.

“Aw, man. I hate those things.”

“Me too. Killed my friend.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s okay. She was at peace with her death. But I did see Grover.”

Percy’s eyes sparkled at the mention of his best friend, reminding her of the moon across the waves. “G-Man, all grown up. Have you met his son?”

“Cedar?” Annabeth nodded, smiling. “Yeah, he’s great.”

“So cute, right?” Percy agreed. “Gods, the world is just… stuff keeps happening, huh?”

In another life, Annabeth would’ve laughed at him for such a comment. She’d elbow him, nudging with her whole body, and call him a _seaweed brain_ , giggling at his observation, and then grab him by the neck of his shirt and pull him into a kiss, which would end only because they couldn’t stop themselves from smiling into it. The image was so clear in her mind that Annabeth wasn’t sure if Aphrodite was messing with her again, or if she just missed him so badly.

Instead, she exhaled deeply and willed the flames in her stomach to die down. “Is your mom-”

“Still alive?” He guessed. He raked a hand through his hair - a signature tic of his - and blushed, the way he always did when he was embarrassed. Annabeth remembered people teasing him at camp over being such a mama’s boy, but she’d never understood the reasoning behind the ribbing. Good parents were often rarities with demigod children, and Percy had no need to be embarrassed for having struck gold. “Yeah. Paul, too. Both in their mid-seventies, now. I have a sister, too, Estelle.”

“Woah. A sister?”

“She’s cool. Almost forty, I think. She’s married, has a few kids.”

Annabeth bit her lip. “Do you - does she know you?”

That one hit a nerve. Percy’s face darkened, but he just looked sad. “Not- not really. We thought it would be too weird to explain to her. But I keep an eye out for her and the kids, I watch out for them. She’s just like my mom, you’d love her.”

To think that there’d been a chance for Percy, let alone Annabeth, to know her. To think one choice had ripped so much away from them.

“What about your family?”

Annabeth shrugged. She didn’t exactly keep tabs, not in the same way as Percy. “My dad died of a stroke a few years back. I think my brothers are married. One might be divorced. I don’t really keep up. Sometimes people drift apart.”

The last part had been an offhand comment, but as soon as it came out, the fire in Annabeth’s stomach roared up all the way to her throat, searing through her. Internally, she begged for Percy not to detect any other meanings behind it, while a small part of her, probably egged on by Aphrodite, hoped he would.

He sighed. “As usual, you’re never wrong. I miss talking to you like this.”

“Well, technically, Huntresses aren’t supposed to talk to boys.”

Thankfully, her joke didn’t sink like a lead balloon, as she’d expected it to. Percy chuckled appreciatively, the moonlight softening his features.

“You just always have all the answers. It’s refreshing.”

“I don’t have all the answers.”

_Like the answer to how it went wrong. Like why you chose the gods over me. Like how to resist this pull towards you._

“You always had the answers to my questions, at least.” He laughed ruefully, a little embarrassed. “Even now I find myself wondering about things that I just _know_ would make you shake your head at me before explaining. I sort of miss it.”

Annabeth stiffened. “That’s a shame. Well, ask me or leave me alone, then. Like I said, we shouldn’t be talking.”

She wasn’t sure why her mood had suddenly flipped, but the knowledge that it most likely was entirely revolved around Percy virtually admitting that he missed her didn’t sit right with her Huntress ideals. Again, it made her angry - he wasn’t allowed to miss her, not when he was the one who chose to leave. Still, her anger didn’t feel the way it usually did. The fire burned differently. 

Percy seemed a little taken aback by her change, but nevertheless took it on the chin. He watched her for a moment, his gaze wistful and almost sad, before turning his attention back to the sea. He always took comfort in the water, and Annabeth could tell that whatever he wanted to say, he was struggling to put it into words. That was one of the things she hated about the love for him that still lingered, stubbornly refusing to leave her - there was still so much she could just sense about him, words not necessary. The love she felt for him clung like Elpis, the spirit of Hope, faint but always remaining. 

“I thought they would offer you the same gift. Why didn’t they? You did so much.” 

Annabeth’s stomach dropped. He sounded so sincere, so genuine, and it hit her with the same icy shock as the poisoned dagger that would’ve claimed his life without her interception. Percy was a hero turned god, and his ego had hardly changed. He still credited Annabeth for her part, even after she assumed her work had been long forgotten in the wake of a brand new immortal. She had long kissed goodbye to the idea of permanence. 

Her voice came out blunter than she expected it to, touched by his surprise. “They can’t give a once in a millennia gift to two demigods. You were the subject of the prophecy, you had the Achilles curse, you did the most. Nothing I did would’ve meant anything if you weren’t the hero of the prophecy.”

He laughed again, but this time it was mirthless, upset. For the first time, Annabeth detected a hint of her own bitterness and sadness in Percy. He really wasn’t the villain she tried to paint him as in her mind, and the guilt stung like salt in a fresh wound. 

“Right. Do you ever wish you could redo things? I think I would’ve chosen differently.”

Somewhere in the conversation, they had inched closer. The gap between them was closing, and as Annabeth’s hand rested on the sand beside her, Percy’s ended up on top. They weren’t quite holding hands, just touching enough that Annabeth’s skin felt like it was thrumming with electricity, pulsing with life. 

“You do?” She spoke softly. 

Perhaps it was the moonlight that made his eyes shine so brightly, instead of unshed tears that he fought back with a lifetime’s worth of skill and practise. “Annabeth, I-”

In hindsight, she had no idea what came over her. Her first thought was Aphrodite, deciding she’d had enough, playing out her story just to entertain herself. Then she wondered if it was simply her own instinct, merely exacerbated by the love goddess. Whatever it was, something possessed Annabeth to breathe, “Shut up, Jackson,” and before she even knew what was happening, they were kissing. 

Annabeth had been made immortal. She had experienced the sensation of gaining new life ripple through her entire body, a radiating glow of silver light revitalising her from the depths of her very soul and shining outwards until she was a new woman, stronger than ever. That was nothing compared to the bliss that washed over her, everything about Percy overloading her senses in the most intoxicating way. This feeling - this was sailing on the ocean under a clear blue sky and a warm summer sun, salt on their skin, the wind in their hair. This was Elysium, the Isles of Blest, Heaven. It was perfect.

It was wrong.

She pulled back abruptly, wondering when her hand had made its way onto Percy’s shoulder, and when his had threaded into her hair and across her back. A whine almost passed her lips at the loss of contact but instead she just held her breath and froze, staring at Percy with terrified eyes. And Gods, even in her terror, he looked distressingly handsome and upset.

“What are we… what are you doing?” She gasped, blinking rapidly as if it would somehow clear the experience from her mind. “I can’t just - I’m a Huntress!”

Percy could’ve been a soul on the edge of the Styx, anguished and hopeless. “Annabeth… I-I don’t know what happened-”

“I can’t do this!” Annabeth hissed, her throat feeling like it was about to close up. “I made a vow - I can’t -”

But in the midst of her panic, her heart could’ve snapped in two at Percy’s expression. Guilt radiated from every part of him, from the way his posture had slumped and sank into disappointment to the way his eyebrows knitted together, regretful and yet longing, the epitome of pain. His eyes - his unforgettable eyes, crystalline bright and beautiful, always haunting her fitful dreams - were filled with tears that he swallowed back, for both of their sakes. Gods, she hated seeing him in pain. She hated _being_ in pain even more. 

“I’m so fucking sorry, Annabeth, I don’t know what came over me,” He swore fervently, his chest heaving. “Aphrodite, maybe, or just-”

Annabeth cut him off, solely because his voice sounded like shattered glass, fragile and scratchy, and her heart couldn’t take it. “This didn’t happen. Okay? Nothing happened. We never even talked.”

She stood up and walked a few steps, before pacing back and forth between her spot. Her body was tingling with frenetic energy, the surge of life she’d felt from kissing him now unsatisfied and desperate for an exit. She knew kissing him again would satiate her aching soul, and she knew it wasn’t an option. 

“Of course.” Percy stood too, and as his fist clenched, his tears started to spill. “Gods, I hate this.”

She stopped pacing long enough to look at him. The wind had picked up, and his hair was being blown up from it. The cold stung her exposed skin and blew back the curls that had escaped from her braid, but if anyone had been watching, she was relieved she could claim that it was the icy sea breeze that had caused her eyes to water so heavily. 

“Why do you think I joined the Huntresses?”

Wind whistled in her ears, mocking her. Percy said nothing. 

“See? You know why I joined.” It stung like a poisoned dagger all over again, excruciating from the inside out, but Annabeth knew she had to hurt him to save herself. “I joined to get away from you. You will _not_ mess this up for me. We never spoke, nothing happened, and nothing ever will. End of story. I’m not breaking a vow, leaving my sisterhood and getting turned into a fucking bear or something because of _you_. You’re not worth it, Percy Jackson. You’re just a son of Poseidon who got too big for his boots.”

_The greatest hero of our age. The bravest friend I ever had. The only true kind, loving warrior out of them all._

Percy just nodded. “I’m sorry that sorry isn’t enough.”

Annabeth didn’t respond - she knew her voice would break if she did, and she had already looked weak enough in front of him. She had the rest of eternity to build her walls back up, and she’d be damned if she let them crumble at the sight of his smile again. 

She didn’t look back once. 

Morning came too quickly, not that Annabeth really noticed. It felt as though she crept back into her bed, cried, and all of a sudden the sun was up and her emptiness inside was exacerbated by the inappropriately bright, cheery weather. Her mind went to warm summer days in the strawberry fields at Camp Half-Blood with her former best friend, and she fought down yet another welling of tears as she got dressed, a sleepy Thalia none the wiser to her state. 

Most of the huntresses were already gathered at the fire, over which breakfast was cooking. The two girls, Emmeline and Georgia, were sat so close they were almost pressed together, whispering intently as they ate. 

Annabeth declined a plate and slumped down next to Thalia, resting her head on her friend’s shoulder and mumbling something about not sleeping well to try and cover her tracks. When Percy approached, sitting just across from Artemis with a polite nod, they carefully avoided eye contact. 

“How did you sleep, girls?” Artemis asked them, smiling kindly. 

Emmeline, the older girl, stuttered a little before replying. “Very well, thank you… uh, My Lady. The tents are super warm and comfortable. We’ve, uh, made up our minds.”

Georgia nodded. “We talked a lot last night. Deciding what we thought was best for us.”

“I’d like to join. If that’s okay.” Emmeline looked shy, almost embarrassed, but she soon began to smile at the warm reception of surprised, happy gasps from the huntresses around her. Some of them were clearing up, intent on making sure there wasn’t too much pressure on the girls, but the ones who had gathered were thrilled by their new recruit. 

“We’re always accepting young maidens,” Thalia grinned. “Welcome! This is the pledge you’ve gotta say, and then you’re part of the coolest sisterhood in the whole world.”

They turned to Georgia, who seemed a lot more sure of herself. She squeezed Emmeline’s hand, and took a deep breath. 

“I… I kinda wanna go to the camp. Train and make friends and be a kid, you know?” She shrugged. “I’ll miss my girl, but you gotta do what you wanna, and I think the camp sounds like more my kind of thing.”

Percy reached over to offer her a fist-bump, which Georgia grinned and returned. “Nice, glad to have you on board. An excellent decision, if you ask me.” He smiled playfully at Artemis, who raised an eyebrow in begrudging amusement. “But no ill will to your friend, of course. Like you said, do what’s best for you. I knew some amazingly brave huntresses. I don’t see why campers and huntresses should still have to be at odds. We’re all just trying to survive.”

Thalia smirked. “Some of us for longer than others, apparently. Okay, Emmeline, let’s get you kitted out with everything you need, you can follow me and Lindsey. Kelp Head, you should probably get going.”

Percy rolled his eyes. “As you wish, Pinecone Face. Georgia, you ready?”

“One sec.” The girl held up her hand, then ran towards where Emmeline was following Thalia, tackling her in a hug. The two embraced fiercely before Georgia scampered back, apparently satisfied, and smiled brightly. “Okay. New home! Let’s go!”

Then they were gone, and the weight on Annabeth’s chest that should’ve lifted, pressed down heavier and heavier until she couldn’t breathe. 

**Sixty Three Years and Two Months Later**

Annabeth was sitting in a tea parlour.

Ornate windows lined the east wall, allowing swathes of natural sunlight to warm and illuminate the room. Terracotta and mosaics decorated the floor, and the walls were white. There was a table in front of her, and a woman sitting just opposite. A young girl came in, laid the table with tea and an assortment of small pastries, bowed to the woman, and then left.

The woman smiled at Annabeth. “Wonderful service, wouldn’t you agree?”

Her first instinct was to go on high alert: monster. Annabeth had no idea where she was or how she’d gotten there, and the enchanting woman before her could easily have been a sorceress, Medea or Circe playing tricks on her. She eyed the refreshments suspiciously, reluctant to let down her guard. They could be poisoned, or contain some kind of magic that would trap her here forever.

And where even was here?

The woman tutted sadly. “Oh dear. Always so suspicious, so distrusting. I suppose I understand, Annabeth. A girl who’s been through what you’ve been through has a right to be wary. But I promise you, I offer only good things, if you will accept them.”

Annabeth didn’t move. “Where am I? Who are you?”

Her Huntress bow wasn’t slung over her back, as it usually was when danger was afoot - that was unusual, but reassuring. A quick check ensured her knife was still there, should she need to fight, although the idea seemed less and less likely.

“So many questions. You’re just like your mother.” The woman’s laughter was like music, sweet and intoxicating. “She could do a lot better, too. But you’re less of a lost cause than her, hence why I’m here. My dear, who do you think I am?”

The answer came to Annabeth’s tongue quickly. “Aphrodite.”

“You’re as intelligent as they say.” Aphrodite offered Annabeth a teacup, taking one for herself and shrugging. “It’s safe to drink.”

Instead of drinking, Annabeth took a moment to relax and properly examine her surroundings now that her defensiveness had been allowed to slip. The room was beautiful, but fairly basic. The mosaic under their feet depicted a young girl in a forest, weeping over the fallen body of a young man. It was so lifelike Annabeth could almost see the girl’s tears streaming down her face, the blood pooling around the dying hero. As unsettling as she found it, Aphrodite didn’t seem to care or even notice.

Her appearance had flickered a little bit while she’d been speaking, but it had settled as Annabeth took her in. Her skin was the colour of burnt caramel, smooth and rich, and her face was framed perfectly with thick, glossy dark hair, pin-straight down to her ribcage. Her eyes could’ve been chipped emeralds, sparkling attractively in the sunlight, and she held herself with the poise of an ancient princess. 

After a few moments of staring, Aphrodite noticed Annabeth’s curiosity and lifted a polished bronze dagger that was lying in front of her, using it to examine her features. Then, she let out a little laugh.

“Oh, how cute. This is how you see me?”

Annabeth ignored the question. “Where am I? How did I get here? What do you want?”

“So many questions!” Aphrodite repeated, calm as ever. “Well, for your first one, see for yourself.” She gestured towards one of the many windows. “And the others, you’ll discover soon enough.”

Assuming she had permission to move around - these kind of things could get dicey with such easily-offended Olympians - Annabeth made her way to one of the windows and gasped. 

A beautiful city surrounded them - they appeared to be in some kind of tower, possibly even a high room in a palace. The city was walled, an amphitheater visible in the distance, and groves of vines and flowers filled space unoccupied by houses and shops. It was the image of a majestic Ancient Greek civilisation - except for the carnage. 

Fires burned throughout, smoke rising in thick grey plumes up into the clouds. Parts of the wall had been smashed or destroyed completely, and women and children were tearing through the streets, screaming in terror. Men were clashing swords just out of Annabeth’s line of sight, war cries audible from all around. They were in the perfect isolated spot to observe an entire siege. 

“Is this… Troy?” Annabeth asked, simultaneously amazed and horrified. “How?”

Aphrodite gestured to her to sit. “I love to be adjacent to great love stories.”

“This isn’t a great love story!” Annabeth argued, already fed up with the love goddess’ games. “This is a war zone!”

The goddess merely chuckled, which again managed to soothe Annabeth’s nerves. “You’d be surprised at how… entangled, love and war can be. If you prefer, I could take us elsewhere.”

She blinked, and they were in a much more modern hotel, similar sounds of war around them, only much quieter. Memories of searing pain in her shoulder and struggling to take mouthfuls of nectar and ambrosia filled Annabeth’s mind, and with a jolt of recognition, she shuddered and shook her head. Reliving the Second Titan War was definitely not on her to-do list. 

“Troy is fine.”

They were back. Aphrodite leaned forward, scrutinising Annabeth in a way that made her feel both inadequate and intrigued. She’d never felt uglier than being in the presence of someone so effortlessly beautiful, and yet just sitting in front of her, Annabeth wanted to do better, and make this wonderful woman proud. Aphrodite seemed aware of this fact. 

“So,” She began, lacing her fingers, “Annabeth. The last time I saw you, you broke my heart in two. Of course, I can’t blame you for that. I know you felt the same way. But I have to ask how long you think you’re going to be able to keep up this charade.”

“What charade? What the hell do you mean?”

Aphrodite’s gaze softened. “My dear. You weren’t meant to be a Huntress. You’re destined for great things, naturally, but eternal maidenhood is not always a great thing. Not when you’re in love.”

Annabeth pursed her lips. “My Lady, I made a vow. I’m loyal to Artemis.” 

The goddess scoffed. “Artemis, yes. You made a vow that you wouldn’t have made if Percy Jackson had made a different choice, am I correct in saying that?”

Heat started to rise in the pit of Annabeth’s stomach. “You already know that. You know everything I could possibly tell you! Hell, you’re the one messing with me, giving me visions of what would’ve happened if he chose me over - over you _Olympians._ You’re the reason for all of this!”

Aphrodite took a sip from her teacup, one eyebrow raised. It was infuriating, the half-pitying, half-amused expression on her face. What she was trying to convey was crystal clear - she knew something Annabeth didn’t, and it was deeply patronising. Even so, her beauty made it exceedingly difficult to hold a grudge. 

“Not all of it, my dear. I planted the seed, yes, but only because you had fertile soil. And it would’ve died without water… which you provided.”

She smiled knowingly, and Annabeth flushed pink. If she relinquished control over her mind and gave in, she could still taste Percy’s lips, still feel the warmth of his body against hers on the shore.

Still, she held her ground. “With all due respect… _Lady Aphrodite_ … what is that supposed to even mean?”

Aphrodite giggled coquettishly, but Annabeth didn’t miss her sly wink. “Oh, my sweet girl. So wise, yet so naive in love.” She sighed dreamily. “Sometimes, Annabeth, I can cause someone of my choosing, at random, to fall irrevocably in love with someone else of my choosing. Completely out of nowhere. Sometimes, I can nudge along a love story that I can see is already budding into something great. And sometimes…” She shot Annabeth a meaningful look. “Sometimes there’s an abundance of love forming before I even have a say in the matter. Some call it fate, destiny, true love. Fertile soil, which I’m sure is a metaphor my darling relative Demeter would enjoy, simply refers to the presence of a solid foundation for love to blossom without my interference at all. It’s quite romantic, really.”

Her smile dropped. “I can see the start of something beautiful happening, and of course I throw some little obstacles in the way, add some flavour and spice where I can. I’m quite the chef, you know.”

As if compelled, Annabeth looked down at her teacup, the pink liquid almost glittering. It shimmered a few times and began to reflect different faces - Luke, Rachel, a girl Annabeth didn’t recognise but could only assume was Calypso. 

“You see?” Aphrodite was smiling again. “Obstacles. All of which were easily overcome, again without my help. I was getting excited, so help me. This was going to be a love story for the ages. Perhaps a story I would favour over my old paragon, Helen and Paris.”

Annabeth felt sick. Sick with how deep and ingrained her longing for Percy had become, sick with Aphrodite’s games and her own, secret desire to play along with them. It hit her all at once the power that this woman had - a beautiful deity who fawned over a couple that led to one of the most famous battles in history, a goddess who could single-handedly cause every other Olympian to take sides and fight to the death, who could inflict madness as easily as Dionysus, who could encourage drowning as easily as Poseidon, who could expand Hades’ kingdom by tenfold just with a flick of her wrist. 

Love was an incredible force, full of light and good and hope, but all of a sudden, Annabeth was seeing the intrinsic darkness that came with Aphrodite’s power. 

As if reading her mind, the goddess cocked her eyebrow, amused. “You understand better than most, Annabeth, the power that I hold. I am the oldest of the Olympians. I take my job seriously, despite how overlooked I am. I can play with mortal feelings for fun, of course, but I won’t do that with you. For you, my dear, I only want to foster what’s already there.”

Annabeth blanched. “This… this is wrong,” was all she could manage, a million unintelligible thoughts swirling in her mind. Aphrodite shrugged evenly, her face a calming mask. She made Annabeth want to believe her every word. 

“We don’t have much time, my dear.” She urged, glancing out of one of the windows with a deep sigh. “Whilst we’re not _really_ here, the Greek soldiers and their defeated Trojan prisoners will be looting and destroying this beautiful building any minute now, and I'd hate to linger and watch it happen again. Bah, it was a tragedy even then and it still is now. Besides, it’s almost time for you to wake up.”

Wake up? Annabeth blinked. 

“Listen carefully.” The goddess’ words were like magic. Annabeth seemed to lose control of her body as she physically straightened, her eyes focused on Aphrodite, her ears tuning out everything but the sound of her voice. “I am going to provide you with an opportunity, which I can ensure you no one will know about. In fact, I’m simply taking advantage of what has already occurred. I’ll make sure you end up nearby, I’m sure his instincts will do the rest. In any case, with this opportunity of yours, it would be wise…” She trailed off for a moment to wink, “for you to take it. Farewell, Annabeth Chase. Listen to your heart for once.”

The entire room shuddered as something slammed into the side of the building. Aphrodite winced like she knew what was coming, and shook her head sadly. As debris started to fall, dust and chunks of terracotta breaking off around them, the scene started to fade to blackness. The floor disappeared, and suddenly Annabeth was falling. 

When she woke up, the pain hit her like a freight train. Her head throbbed uncontrollably, and her chest may as well have been composed of tiny shards of glass, shredding her from the inside out. Bizarrely, she felt no pain from her hips down, but tried to focus on the positives. At least her _entire_ body didn’t feel like it was about to fall apart. 

Her eyes fought to open, an effort that took every molecule of strength she had. Through her hazy vision and straining gaze, she could make out a fairly normal-looking, familiar room. Some things tugged at her memory - paintings on the wall, the specific colouring of everything - but her head felt too cloudy to identify it properly. 

“You drool when you sleep.” A playful voice came from somewhere nearby. 

Percy walked until he was right beside her, kneeling next to wherever she was laying down - a sofa, most likely. He held a glass with a straw in his hand, and wore a gentle smile. His forehead was creased, as if he’d been worrying about her. 

This had to still be part of a dream, right? 

Desperately, her eyes darted around for something that could convince her she was still dreaming. Everything seemed as it should be, tidy and warm and homely as Sally had always kept it, and-

_Sally._

This was Sally Jackson’s apartment, in Manhattan. This was where she had sat drinking blueberry smoothies, which had turned out disappointingly purple, and laughed until her stomach hurt with her best friend and his mom on a warm day in June, the threat of a war not enough to dampen their spirits. But how?

Annabeth looked out for a window, expecting to see the city around them. Instead, all she saw was an inky blackness. 

“What’s going on?” She managed. Her voice sounded weak and strangled. 

Percy offered the glass. “Drink this, it’s just nectar. I’ll try my best to explain. Although, uh, I was sort of hoping you’d be able to explain.”

Too weak to pick a fight, Annabeth let him hold the glass out to her and position the straw between her lips. Immediately, she was met with the taste of icy cold blueberry smoothie - a taste that reminded her of better days. Some of her strength started to return as she drank, but it was a slow process. 

“So, I don’t have a lot I can really explain.” Percy began, rustling his hair to ease his evident awkwardness. “You’re, uh, underwater. When I - when they made me a god, they built me a palace. I know, I sound like a real jerk. I thought it was so cool and I had everything, room for games, somewhere to skate, all the newest stuff… but then I never used it, it felt too weird to be mine. So I made the living area look like my mom’s place. I only stay here when I’m needed under the sea, I prefer camp to this place. It makes me feel like a dick. But, that’s where you are.” 

He paused, then frowned. “I don’t really know why you’re here, though, that’s why I wanted to ask you. I got this… Gods, I don’t know what to call it. Sense? Shockwave? Something like that, go through me, and I knew that you had hit the water pretty hard. You’d sunk about two hundred metres or so purely from the momentum by the time I got to you. I put a bubble of air around you and brought you here, to safety. Figured you’d inhaled a lot of water, and you were already passed out.”

That sounded bad. Annabeth tried to shift, but blinding hot pain seared through her chest and head, stopping her attempt before it had even started. She groaned and hissed, words failing her. 

“Here.” Percy put a square of ambrosia until her mouth. “This is as much as I can give you. I’ve been giving you as much nectar as you can handle for about two days, since you crashed here. Apparently even though you’re immortal, you’re still affected by demigod limits. Which sucks.”

Annabeth tried to laugh, stopping quickly when the pain seized her again. Still, Percy seemed buoyed by her reaction. 

“So, uh, that’s all I have. Any idea how you got here?”

Wracking her brain did nothing. The only thing Annabeth could remember solidly was her dream, Aphrodite lecturing her as the Trojan War raged around them. Before that, her usual huntress endeavours. Nothing traumatic, nothing that could explain how she had been somehow flung into the water at lethal speed, came to mind. 

“I can only assume we were tracking something and I got hurt.” Annabeth replied weakly, sweat beading on her forehead. “And somehow you always show up when something happens to me. All-”

“-paths lead to Rome.” Percy finished for her. “One of your favourite pronouns. You used to say it a lot.”

“Proverbs. Not pronouns.”

“Right.” Percy looked sheepish, but grinned. “I should leave you to rest. I don’t know the extent of how injured you are, but I think you’ll be here for a while.”

Annabeth frowned, touched by his immediate, unwavering devotion to her and unnerved by it at the same time. “Aren’t you needed at camp?”

He shrugged easily. “I have a live feed set up so I can keep an eye on things. Nothing invasive, just an overview. And I set up a deal with Iris a few years back, so the kids can IM me whenever they want, no drachmas necessary.”

She had his full attention, and her stomach churned as she wondered exactly what that would entail. A small part of her wanted to just accept it and stay, a part that grew ever larger as she mulled over Aphrodite’s words. Of course, she knew the love goddess was able to twist and manipulate things in order to get what she wanted, but for some reason, she trusted that Aphrodite wasn’t really playing into this very much.

“You need to sleep. Like I said, healing will take a while. I promise you’re safe here.”

Safety. A rare commodity for demigods, and yet whenever Percy was, no matter the danger they were in, he managed to make her feel safe. The urge to close her eyes grasped her, and, knowing she was protected, Annabeth let it take her. 

-

The next time she woke up, two voices pulled her from sleep. 

Well, voices weren't exactly it. One of them was a voice. The other… not so much. 

“I know,” Percy was saying, “But that’ll damage them and the surroundings. Remember what I said, slow and steady. Don’t just yank.”

A strange chittering answered him, which somehow managed to sound pissed off. 

“Yes, just pulling would be faster! But then you’ll hurt them, and that’s exactly what we’re trying to avoid. Tell your team to go slow, okay?”

The chattering sound came again, more resigned. Annabeth opened her eyes and saw Percy having a discussion with an immaculately-dressed dolphin. 

_Because why not,_ she told herself. 

Percy rubbed his temples and shook his head dismissively as the dolphin swam away, like he was tired of dealing with their petty issues. He’d been dealing with marine life qualms ever since he’d been claimed by Poseidon, near enough, as Annabeth remembered him rescuing random sea creatures on the Long Island Sound back when they were just demigods preparing for a war. She supposed that after such a long time, being bothered by situations that were clearly not life-or-death would get a little annoying, but he was too kind-hearted to ever refuse to help. 

He noticed her awake and his face lit up. “Hey! How you feeling?”

Annabeth took a moment to think about it. “Uh… I’m in a lot of pain. My chest hurts.”

Percy looked confused for a moment. “Your chest? Oh. I had to give you chest compressions when I got you here, probably broke a rib or two. Sorry about that. Saved your life, but sorry.”

Annabeth laughed, then winced. “Finally even, I guess. Thanks.”

His laugh was hearty and loud as he moved away, momentarily, to refill the glass from last time with some more nectar. The sound made all of Annabeth’s pain start to lessen, filling her with warmth from the inside out. 

Gods. The effect he had on her was unlike anything in the whole world. 

As she sipped from her glass, Percy’s face scrunched in concern again. He knelt by her side, an image so overwhelmingly familiar that she couldn’t help but say something. 

“Well, this is oddly reminiscent of an old shoulder wound of mine.” She joked, reaching out to squeeze Percy’s hand. 

He rolled his eyes and laughed again, but the concern didn’t fade. His expression perfectly mirrored the one he’d had at the time - eyebrows knitted together, eyes bright, something gentle and fragile in his face that she had never been able to piece together. Worry, care, kindness. In spite of her joke, just like before, he was worried about her. 

“Sixty three years later and you can’t let it go, huh?” He returned. “Holy Zeus, though. I still can’t believe you did that. You saved my life.”

Annabeth could feel her face heating up. “It was a pretty small price to pay for a life like yours. Look at everything you’ve gone on to do for the world since then.” 

His features twisted guiltily. “I was so blind to you. You were my best friend and I didn’t for once even think… I’m sorry, Wise Girl.”

The nickname sent crashing tsunamis of comforting nostalgia through her, hitting all at once in an overwhelming but not unpleasant wave. It had been so long since she’d heard him say it - for a moment he was twelve again, flustered in an attempt to try and mock her godly parent, laughing in embarrassment when it didn’t turn out. Then he was fifteen, the nickname more of an affectionate jab than an attempt at an insult. Then he was here before her, immortal, the words symbolising a relationship that seemingly nothing could sever. 

“No.” She told him firmly. “I’m sorry. Look, about the last time we talked…”

He blushed, the both of them aware of the elephant in the room, but Annabeth forged on. “I was horrible to you. I was scared about what would happen to me if I was found out, but I shouldn’t have said any of those things to you. You’re the humblest, kindest, bravest person I know. You’re what all heroes should strive to be, Percy.”

Percy’s eyes were sparkling. They reminded Annabeth of a sunny day at camp, out in the canoes; sunlight glittered beautifully on the water, unobstructed by clouds. 

“Well shit, Annabeth, I'm not the one who took a poisoned blade for someone who had iron skin. That took guts.” He grinned widely, and there was a hint of something in his smile that made her want to burst into tears - pride. “I tell a lot of stories at camp to motivate the kids when they need it. You come up in conversation a lot.”

“Now you’re just flattering me because I’m injured.”

“Pfft. It’s true! Anyway, you’re injured, that’s right. I got sidetracked. So, the pain?”

“Chest.” Annabeth confirmed. “And my head kills, too. I feel exhausted.”

Percy frowned again. “Legs?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? But the gash...” His voice was tinged with confusion, but he did his best to keep it level and steady. “Move your left foot to the side, just for a second.”

Annabeth did, studying his face curiously. He was watching intently, brows furrowed, his gaze so intense it could’ve burned. When he concentrated that hard, it wasn’t difficult to identify the side of him that was, arguably, one of the greatest warriors who had ever lived. Strategic, thoughtful, brave, and overall, attentive. 

He blinked a few times and then looked back at her. “Okay, so… your foot didn’t move.”

Annabeth’s stomach dropped. “What?”

“It’s okay. Probably.” Percy bit his lip, his eyes wide. “Uh… try bending your knee?”

She obliged. 

“Which… which one are you bending?”

“You can’t tell?” She was starting to panic. “Is it—?”

Percy swallowed, clearly unsettled but trying to remain calm. “Neither of them are moving. Okay, alright, it’s okay. Let’s… let’s think about this. We need to stay calm.”

“Calm?” Annabeth’s voice was an octave higher than she’d ever heard it, which would’ve been embarrassing had she not been so frightened. “Percy, _I can’t move my legs._ ”

He took a deep, shuddering breath. “It’s probably temporary paralysis. That can happen with spinal injuries, which I guess you suffered when you hit the surface of the water. With demigod healing and extra help from ambrosia and nectar, you’ll probably regain the use of your legs over time.”

Annabeth blinked uncomprehendingly. 

“It’s taken me sixty-something years to become as smart as you were at like sixteen. I know a few things now, even though I’m sure you know more.” Percy heaved a nervous laugh. “I’ve, uh, seen this happen with some campers before. They all recovered, it just took some time.”

She sighed. “Well, I guess that’s lucky. I have nothing but time. Except the Huntresses—”

“You can’t go with them like this,” Percy cut in immediately. “You’re gonna have to stay here while you heal. My dad’s domain is one of the few places that the Huntresses can’t track, so they won’t be able to find you here. I promise I’ll take good care of you, though.”

Annabeth softened, her panic slowing ebbing away. No matter what, she trusted him. “I know you will, Perce. Thank you.”

-

As soon as she had strength enough to stay awake in the daytime, Percy moved her into a bedroom, proclaiming that it was cruel to leave her on his sofa when he had a perfectly good spare bedroom with no occupant. He kept up providing her with ambrosia and nectar, and fairly quickly, her injuries began to clear up. Her chest soon healed, her head stopped throbbing, bruises faded at lightning speed. All that was left was their hope that her legs would eventually heal from their paralysis. 

Annabeth would never admit it aloud, but Percy was an incredible host. In all her years - far more than her appearance suggested - she hadn’t felt quite so welcome since before their friendship had ended. Now, with it resuscitated at its full strength, she was bizarrely happy in spite of her situation. 

Percy liked to cook, she observed over a number of weeks. Once, she asked him about it. 

“I mean… I can summon food like at camp, and sometimes I do, but mostly I only do that with drinks when I’m here.” He lifted his glass, full of blue sparkling liquid. “They still don’t make blue Coke. But cooking makes me feel… I don’t know, like I’m normal.”

She smiled faintly. “You’re surprisingly good.”

“I’m wounded. Surprisingly?” He laughed brightly. “It took a while. Luckily things don’t tend to burst into flames underwater, even in here. Lots of practise and my mom’s favourite recipes, and I’m all set. Besides, I can’t have you losing strength with bad cooking when I’m willing your legs to start working again.”

They were able to joke even in the weirdest, darkest situations, and it reminded Annabeth of a time when they both feared death, when neither of them knew if the other would make it to see the start of the next week, and how they had managed to laugh even then. Years had passed and yet they were much the same. 

At times, Annabeth forgot her loyalties. She forgot who she was, what she was meant to stand for. Percy would say something and they’d burst into hysterics, and then her laughter would fade into a contented grin as she took in how handsome he looked when he was happy. In battle, he was vicious, fierce, a force to be reckoned with, undoubtedly hot but often fearsome to look upon. When resting, he was brooding, serious, never unhappy but thoughtful and dignified, eyes bright and brow furrowed. But happy - gods, when Percy was happy, Apollo couldn’t have created a purer light source out of all the sun’s might. The crinkles in the corners of his eyes, his nose wrinkled, his smile stretching across his cheeks as he howled an uncontrolled, infectious laugh. Who would remember a vow not to fall in love when someone so completely loveable filled her every waking moment? 

One of the days, an immeasurable amount of time from when she had fallen, Annabeth awoke in an empty home. She had no idea how long she’d been away from the Huntresses, but that thought was at the very back of her mind as she wondered of Percy’s whereabouts. 

With a few careful, clever manoeuvres, she shifted out of her bed and into the wheelchair beside it; Percy had provided one as soon as her strength returned, adorning it with sea crystals and fake corals so that ‘she felt like she fitted in’ underwater. A quick search around the place saw that the kitchen was empty, the living room was empty, and the rest of the house was silent. 

Reluctantly, she tried his bedroom. It was the one room she’d not explored, not really feeling the need to intrude on his personal space when she was already taking up his time as a patient and guest in his home. 

As soon as the door opened, a wave of nostalgia washed over her, filling her with an intoxicating, oxymoronic lightness and heaviness all at once. It was the same room she remembered from visiting his home in New York when they were fifteen, blue walls and a grey carpet, band posters and skating pictures covering everything, a messy desk, a single bed with rumpled sheets. Photos were scattered on the nightstand as Annabeth wheeled closer to examine them - Percy with Sally and Paul on their wedding day, another with the four of them, Annabeth grinning in a dress she didn’t own and makeup that had been done by Silena Beauregard. One of him with Tyson, another with Grover, another with Beckendorf. A whole swathe of them were just them, Percy and Annabeth as bickering twelve year olds, as best friends at fourteen, even one Annabeth vaguely remembered sending him of her on holiday when she was thirteen. Her heart squeezed at the sight of them, numbly wondering if any of their friends, deceased or alive, had ever expected them to end up like this, so close and yet so far from one another. There were plenty of others he wasn’t in, too, family shots of Sally, Paul and Estelle, of presumed grandchildren, documenting lives that they had missed out on. The ones at the very end saw Sally and Paul looking old, kindly and wrinkled and grey, all knitted blankets and cups of tea. 

Annabeth hadn’t known them long, but she missed them. Seeing them so old made the years that seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye feel torturously long and slow. 

“Annabeth?”

“There you are,” Annabeth turned in her chair, slightly embarrassed to be caught in his room but mostly glad he’d returned. “Where did you go?”

As soon as the words left her lips, she knew. Percy stood in the doorway of his bedroom, looking tired and defeated, handsomely dressed in a black suit, black shirt, and black shoes. His eyes were dull and stormy, but his expression was more quietly resolute than desperately sad. 

“Funeral.” He managed. “Paul… Yeah.”

He sighed deeply, sitting on the bed right next to Annabeth’s wheelchair. Her heart breaking, Annabeth placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Percy replied immediately. “I got to see my mom, we talked at the end. She told me a lot of things, opened my eyes. She’s ready to go now, too. It won’t be long.” 

Annabeth forced down the lump in her throat. “Gods… Percy…”

“Life is short.” He shrugged. “She’s happy with it this way. She gets to die and be with him. I already sent a message to Hades that if they don’t make it to Elysium, I will personally destroy his entire kingdom and leave him to the mercy of Tartarus.”

She didn’t doubt his sincerity at all. 

“I stayed invisible throughout the entire service so that no one would ask questions. I only appeared at the end once everyone had left, to talk to my mom.” Percy’s voice was thick, tears gathering in his eyes that he blinked back with furious intensity. “Being invisible… Gods, Annabeth, how did you ever do it?”

She bit her lip. They were speaking in low, hushed tones, strangely solemn and emotional. She sensed that a real, raw response wouldn’t go amiss here. 

“It wasn’t too different to how I felt my whole life.” She responded, Percy reaching to grip the hand on his shoulder and rubbing it with his thumb. His other hand balled into a tightly-clenched fist. “Invisible.”

“No one on this planet deserves you, Annabeth.” He forced out, his words tinged with pain. “You’re too good for everyone. But Gods of Olympus-” His tears started to spill, and he held her hand tighter than before, “I wake up every day hoping I can be the man who comes closest to deserving you. I know you’re a Huntress and you swore never to love but I can’t stop thinking about how badly I want to kiss you. I don’t _want_ eternity if you’re not part of it.”

Annabeth’s voice was impossibly soft. “Kiss me, then.”

There was no hesitation; Percy dropped his hand from his shoulder onto Annabeth’s thigh and surged forward to kiss her, his other hand pulling her in by the back of her neck. His face was slightly wet with tears, and it was all Annabeth could do to hold him closer, to try with everything she had to ease the pain he was in. Kind, brave souls like Percy didn’t ever deserve to be in immortal pain, and his tension seemed to melt away against her. 

Slowly, carefully, he pulled back and shifted; momentarily their lips disconnected as he moved her from the wheelchair to his bed as if she weighed nothing at all, gently laying her down before him. Annabeth’s chest rose up and down as she caught her breath, so wrapped up in him that she had forgotten to breathe, and her heart felt spoiled with exaltation as she took in his expression, watching her. His eyes still glistened, but this time with relief, a subtle lightness that only someone who knew him well would be able to identify. He looked at her as though she had created the universe just for him, and he was delighting in all of the beauty of it because of her. Every sacrifice they had made for one another, every painful moment of trust and bravery and vulnerability suddenly made sense in this hidden story of theirs, away from the eyes of the rest of the world. 

Here, they weren’t the Huntress of Artemis and the Protector of Demigods. Here, they were Percy and Annabeth, star-crossed and fated to be together, giving in to a lifetime of feelings tucked away and hidden for convenience and safety. Here, they could love one another and no one else had to know about it. No one else could see them. 

Percy again rested one hand on Annabeth’s thigh as he leaned down to kiss her again, tenderly pushing loose curls away from her face so he could fully admire her beauty. He confessed something, his voice low and breathy against her mouth, a mumbled comment about much preferring her hair loose or tied up than in her Huntress braid, but the comment hardly registered in Annabeth’s head. Her mind was too full of overwhelming, blissful sensations - his lips on hers, the weight of him against her, the feel of his hand on her thigh. It was only when they paused once more to breathe that something tugged at Annabeth’s clouded mind. 

“Your hand…” She breathed, struggling to manage more than that. 

Percy was similarly breathless, but he blinked and looked down, then moved it to her hip. “Oh, I didn’t even realise, I’m so-”

She cut him off before the apology could come out, not wanting him to feel bad at all. “No, no. I just… I felt it.”

“You… felt it?” He looked puzzled for a moment, then his eyebrows shot up and his bright, lopsided grin made the whole room feel lighter than before. “You felt it! On your leg?”

Immediately he moved it back, Annabeth smiling if only to acknowledge that she knew it was there, words failing her. With pure ecstasy in his gaze he beamed even wider, gently stroking along her leg as they registered what was happening. From upper to mid-thigh, though it had felt impossible weeks and weeks ago, the feeling was starting to return. 

Annabeth’s eyes were filled with embarrassingly joyful tears, but she could still see Percy in a state of euphoria, clearly relieved and excited more than he could accurately express. He captured her in a fleeting, but intense and emotionally charged kiss, before all but pulling her from her laid-out position into his arms, squeezing her as if she might disappear. He was trembling, and she clung to him. 

“I’ve been praying,” He admitted, his voice muffled as he spoke into her hair, and she buried her head in his shoulder. “Every night, I prayed to Apollo that you would recover, along with whatever healing I could help you with. Gods, Annabeth… You’re gonna be okay. You’re actually going to be okay!”

The sheer joy and disbelief in his tone reminded Annabeth of how she’d felt so many years ago - being the best friend of, and in love with, someone she had believed would die at the age of sixteen ever since they were middle schoolers. His survival had been the biggest shock and relief of her life, not that she had ever told him how short she suspected his life would be, and it dawned on her that Percy had been secretly afraid that perhaps she wouldn’t heal after all, and would eventually pass under his care. He had been so brave for her, just as she had for him. 

“I’m going to be okay,” She cried, her tears half of delirious laughter, half of pure joy. 

“Gods of Olympus… Well, I have a huge sacrifice to make for Apollo now, it’s only polite.”

Annabeth pulled back so she could lace her fingers through his hair, rustling it and stroking it as she peppered soft kisses on his cheek. “Throw some in for Aphrodite, too. I think… I think she sent me here.”

Percy smiled. “I don’t doubt it. She must’ve known that I can’t live another day without you.”

She had no idea how long they stayed like that, laid out on Percy’s bed, alternating between joyful kisses that morphed into laughter and warm embraces that could’ve melted a Hyperborean into a hot spring. Annabeth knew camaraderie, and had experienced sisterhood and support amongst the Huntresses, but this was something else entirely. Laying in Percy’s arms felt safe, and for the first time in years, the overwhelming familiarity of being _home_ relaxed every muscle in her body. The tension and pride and careful stillness with which she carried herself dissipated with the rhythm of his heartbeat, and before long, her head on his chest and her body curled around his, she was lulled to sleep.

-

“We should talk about how we’re going to move forwards.”

Percy wore his usual resting expression - brooding, thoughtful, a little intimidating if you didn’t know him well. He seemed focused, patient, even serious, and it made Annabeth a little nervous. Her recovery was going well, now improving daily after weeks of more praying, nectar and ambrosia. Still weakened from the injury but growing stronger every day, they stood in the middle of the living room, Percy’s furniture pushed to the edges to give them as much floor space as possible, whilst he held her steady by the forearms. His gaze was intense, but Annabeth prided herself on always being able to match it.

“With our legs?” She attempted a joke, thankfully awarding her a small smile. With help, she could make it around his home no problem, but unaided she was still a little shaky. Every so often, one of her ankles would give out beneath her, or she’d step a little clumsily and some residual paralysis in her foot, it would seem, would send her tumbling to the ground. Of course, Percy’s instincts were always in perfect shape and he had never failed to catch her to cushion the fall. So far, she still relied on him, but they both knew her strength was returning fast.

“Naturally. But you know what I’m getting at, Wise Girl.” His eyes gleamed, amused at her mischievousness. Annabeth’s legs were shaky, definitely from lack of use and not from the way he was looking at her, but his grip held her firm and steady.

“You’re gonna have to be a little more specific, Seaweed Brain. I’m not a mind reader.”

“Pfft. Call yourself a daughter of Athena?”

“Shut up!”

They laughed.

“About us.” He clarified, far less serious than before, a hint of a smile tugging at him. “How do we do this when you’re back in the real world?”

Though she didn’t show it outwardly, Annabeth’s stomach dropped. Her thoughts had been consumed by the approaching topic ever since they’d kissed, keeping her awake far longer than she would ever admit, and churning the ball of anxiety inside her into a nauseating tornado. Everything was perfect here, down in their little paradise under the sea, but it was a temporary fix for something that needed to be addressed. Percy had obligations as a god, as Camp Director and Protector of Demigods, and it wasn’t right to tether him to a little home under the sea, not when he longed to roam free and unrestrained. Similarly, Annabeth’s creativity and passion for architecture and permanence hadn’t faded, and if she felt stifled with the Huntresses, it was no different here. Eventually, she knew she needed to return to them, even if she didn’t want to. The world was so wide, and love was so encompassing, and the thought of both staying here and of returning to isolated forests and mountains and plains for another sixty years was almost unbearable. Decisions had to be made.

“Well that’s the problem, isn’t it?” She motioned for Percy to help her sit, suddenly exhausted by the mental energy of the conversation. “On one hand, as a Huntress, I’m forbidden to have a romantic relationship. On the other, if I leave the Huntresses, I’ll lose my immortality and start to age while you remain immortal. Then I’ll die having been nothing more than Percy Jackson’s lover.”

He looked uncomfortable at that idea, which was slightly reassuring to Annabeth in a weird, twisted sort of way.

“And that’s not an option for me, I hope you understand that. I can’t lose immortality and let myself grovel for you until I die and become part of your story, and have my story just be governed by the fact that I loved you. And I do love you, but… I won’t do that.”

Percy nodded. “You’re the one they should all be remembering. I need a solution where you stay immortal, because I could never live without you. Either that or we die together.”

Annabeth laughed, but she wasn’t even sure why. Everything in her life was so ridiculous that it seemed funny. “Do you ever think - at the risk of sounding stupid here - that we’re doing too much too fast?”

“I’d marry you tomorrow.” Percy shook his head, deadly serious, and something in Annabeth’s chest rose up and shattered, her eyes filling with tears. “Without even a second thought, if I could march to Olympus, demand they make you a goddess and force Hera herself to marry us, I would do it. I’ve waited long enough to know exactly how I feel. I don’t want to be without you ever again.”

She took a moment to compose herself, knowing that her voice would fail her if she tried to speak when she was so choked up. “I love you so much. But they would never just make me a goddess. I didn’t earn it.”

“Bullshit.” Percy waved her modesty away. “You’re kidding, right? We couldn’t have defeated Kronos without you. You’re the only reason that Luke got justice, both for what he did and what he wanted to change. You deserved it more than I did.”

Annabeth shrugged. “It’s not enough. I’d have to earn it somehow.”

“I have to ask, then. Is there… so, what’s the history like with Huntresses having relationships in secret? Do you think it’s possible?”

“I know there’s been cases of Huntresses having children with gods, but those were usually… you know. Zeus having his way no matter what obstacles there are. Usually not the girl’s fault.”

“Right. And what happens to them?”

“Usually they get turned into an animal. Artemis favours bears or deer.”

“Ah. I would rather you didn’t turn into a bear.”

“Or have half human, half bear twins?”

“Ye- that happened? What the fuck?”

“Long story.” Annabeth chuckled at Percy’s baffled expression - she had secretly always loved that no matter how entangled he was in the world of the gods, there were still so many stories he didn’t know, stories she could still tell him, and that would still blow his mind. He never became complacent to the objective weirdness of their lives. “But as far as hiding a relationship like ours, I don’t think that’s ever happened. In the past, they only ever get found out because they got pregnant and that’s a little harder to hide.”

Percy’s face turned crimson, and for a moment he stuttered over his words, struggling to meet Annabeth’s eyes. He swallowed quickly and his face returned to its normal colour, although she didn’t miss the strange way he’d reacted.

“I don’t plan on being stupid enough to do anything like that to you while you’re still a Huntress.” He said, shrugging. “So, hypothetically, we could do this in secret until some opportunity arrives for you to do something major and get a reward?”

Annabeth considered it. “I guess so? I mean, if we’re careful and we’re smart about this, a little bit of strategy and planning could make this work.”

Percy kissed her, effectively silencing the cacophonic maelstrom of doomsday thoughts swirling inside her head. She would never get used to this decadent little thrill, the luxury of being _his_ to kiss, and for that she couldn’t have been more glad. Plus, while she’d never admit it, the thought that what they were doing was forbidden seemed to make it infinitely more enticing.

“Gods, Annabeth.” His pupils were blown; he looked at her as if she’d hung the stars in the sky. “You make leaving so fucking hard.”

She smiled, her heart hammering in her chest. “You should know by now I’m never gonna make things easy for you, Seaweed Brain.”

“You’ve more than delivered on that promise, Wise Girl. I’m gonna have to visit you in secret, and try my best to stay away as much as possible.”

She had no idea what came over her - it seized her in a sudden urge, and she grabbed hold of his wrists, desperately looking him in the eyes as the words tumbled helplessly past her lips, “Every time you step out of that front door you’re too far away.”

Percy held her even tighter, sweeping her right up in his arms until she was pressed against his chest, fully and completely wrapped in his embrace. He mumbled something into her hair, along the lines of never letting her go, and as she replied her muffled sweet nothings into his shirt, she wondered absently how anyone could make a vow to stay away from this sort of bliss for the rest of time.

-

Annabeth stood unsupported, blinking at the unfamiliar world around her. A bubble encased her head, but beyond that, she observed beautiful corals, colourful schools of fish, the undercurrent rippling past her. She stepped forwards, swam a little, and then, careful not to go too far past the boundaries of Percy’s home, went back inside. She couldn’t risk being seen. 

“I have to go back to them. For a while.”

She nestled into his side, heart fluttering as he kissed the top of her head. “I know. I wish you didn’t.”

“You and me both. It’s only temporary. I hope.”

Percy nodded, unhappy with the arrangement but unable to change it. His eyes flickered to the array of home cooking laid out across his table, and the fire flickering brightly in a brazier outside, also somehow encased in an air bubble. 

“You think it’ll be enough for her?” He mused. 

Annabeth gently tugged at his collar to kiss him, the world disappearing around her for the duration of what could be their last embrace. With their foreheads pressed together, she blinked back her tears and cleared her throat. “It has to be. She could at least offer us _some_ help, after all.”

The flames smelt amazing - designer perfume, scented powder, a Parisian bakery. Soft pink smoke curled upwards, and as it touched Annabeth, the paradise around her faded into blackness. 

**Sixty Three Years And Six Months Later**

“Oh my Gods! Klytea, Christine, come here now! Help me lift her! My Lady, she’s here!”

Four pairs of eyes were all Annabeth could see - silver like the moon, electric blue, bright green, warm brown. Each regarded her with varying levels of concern, excitement and relief, a fact Annabeth chose to mentally store away and ignore rather than revel in. 

“Holy shit. I thought you’d disappeared for good.” Thalia blinked fiercely, her heavily-lined eyes giving off an intimidating energy that was somewhat undermined by the tears she was trying to blink away. “Don’t _do_ that to me, Annabeth.” She swore, punctuating her words with a gentle punch to the arm followed by a tight hug. “You scared me, I almost lost my little sister.”

Smiling weakly, Annabeth told her, “Technically I’m a year older than you.”

“Technically, I’m five years older than you.” Thalia shot back, sticking out her tongue. “Come on, let’s help you up.”

Klytea, the nymph, sighed. “We were worried! Thank the gods you’re okay.”

_Thank one god_ , Annabeth thought to herself, and then shook her head to rid herself of the thought. She needed to stay focused if she wanted to be sure that no one would suspect her of anything, and getting distracted by him even without his presence definitely wasn’t the way to do that. 

They quickly checked her over for injuries, even though Annabeth knew hers had long healed under Percy’s care. She didn’t recognise Christine, the new girl who Thalia commanded to help her, but as soon as they’d finished ensuring that she was okay, she quipped, “We’re so glad you’re safe!” and headed off with Klytea. 

One of the strangest novelties of a sisterhood like the Huntresses had to be being loved by those who hadn’t even met you yet, unconditionally. 

Well, not unconditionally. The girls, from periods of time far before her own and far beyond it, loved her because of their common cause, because of an oath to swear away from romantic love and an often unspoken but sometimes discussed agreement that they had willingly and gleefully escaped an otherwise dark fate. They loved Annabeth on the condition that she was just like them, a thought that nagged at her ragged self-esteem as she surveyed the camp, set up just as she was used to. Even her chosen family of immortal girls placed conditions on her worth. There was only one person who had ever loved her unconditionally. 

Percy was on her mind again. She blinked hard, as if doing so would erase the image of him in her head, cracking a joke to ease the tension and his lopsided grin curling upwards to give him a mischievous, handsome look. Pretending not to love him was going to be difficult, even with a lifetime and a half’s worth of practise. 

Artemis dismissed them quickly, clearly sensing Thalia’s desperation to interrogate Annabeth within an inch of her life. It took mere seconds for Thalia to pull her into their tent, Annabeth’s bed still made as if she’d never slept there.

“I think I know where you were. I was scared you’d never come back. What happened?”

The question made Annabeth’s chest tighten, but she had too many queries of her own to dwell on it for too long. Shrugging Thalia off, she fired back one of her own, “What happened here? Before it happened?”

Thalia’s face contorted; her eyes, usually bright and fiery, were dull and colourless, and her lips had been chewed to shreds. She worried them between her teeth even now, her tongue flicking away the blood she’d managed to draw. She settled onto her bed, her head hanging low, and stared at the ground in silence. It was only after a drop of water stained the ground between her feet that Annabeth realised she was crying.

“Thals?”

“I almost lost my little sister.” Her voice was thick and shaky. “It was all my fault, I put you in danger.” She paused, taking a shuddering breath. “You were distracting it with me, from the front. Charity and Emmeline were attacking it from the back, so I turned away to call for Christine, Klytea and Amal to come in and attack from the sides. When I turned back, you were gone. I looked away and then you were gone. I think it threw you, I never saw you land. Off the- off the edge of the- the cliff. I thought- thought you’d died.”

Her face was blotchy and red as she cried, furiously knuckling her eyes. “Listen, Annabeth, I… Gods, my little sister and I almost lost you again. I’m the worst.”

“You’re _not._ ” Annabeth told her firmly “Stop saying that, Thalia. You did your best and you kept the girls safe, and that’s your job as Lieutenant. You swore to do that.”

Thalia swallowed. “I swore to protect you long before I ever swore to protect them. You were only seven, and then I failed. I didn’t want to fail a second time, but I did.”

“Two times in six or so decades doesn’t make you a failure, Thalia. Our lives are dangerous, demigods get hurt all the time. Whenever you were around, you kept people close to you safe. Twice is nothing.”

“Three times.”

“What?”

“Three times, Annabeth.” Thalia lifted her head slowly, and took a deep breath. “Whenever I get distracted, whenever I let my guard down, someone loses their life, because of me. You, Luke, myself even, but before that… Gods, Annabeth, he was only two. He was only two and he died because I turned my back and didn't stay aware when I knew I should have.”

Suddenly, Annabeth’s secret romantic dilemma didn’t seem so important. The energy in the room had changed - it was dark, heavy and confusing, and a sense of urgency to delve deeper gripped her.

“Who?”

“Zeus came back. I was maybe seven or eight, and he came back. He was weird, very strict, but my… _mother_ , she was thrilled. Pretty soon after I had a brother. Little blonde boy, big blue eyes, super cute. I had to protect him from my mom being such a psycho bitch, but then one day we went out and I went to go get the picnic stuff and all of a sudden she was crying and he was gone. I thought you’d died too because of this stupid fucking dream I had.”

“What dream?” Annabeth stood up, moving from her bed onto Thalia’s and putting her arm around her. It wasn’t much, but Thalia rested her head on Annabeth’s shoulder, exhaustion and sadness weighing her down from the inside out.

“I saw the two of you in a room somewhere, talking. You looked exactly the same, but he was all grown up, not the little baby I knew him as. I thought I was seeing you both in Elysium. I cried for days.”

Annabeth’s mind was racing, but she couldn’t come up with any kind of conclusive answer, which was endlessly frustrating. Demigods did have random dreams, sometimes, but they were rare, especially for powerful demigods. More often than not, their dreams were prophetic or retrospective, helping them to decipher what was going on around them or what they’d soon have to face. It made no sense that Thalia had seen Annabeth with her dead brother.

“Anyway. I’m glad you’re alive. Were you… I don’t know, it crossed my mind. The place where injured heroes go.”

_Ogygia._ Even thinking the word in her own head made an old spurt of jealousy rise up within her. It was ridiculous, she knew it, especially with everything that had happened, but as the word _Calypso_ rolled around in her brain, she fought the jealousy down and seized the opportunity. Anything was better than the truth.

She shifted uncomfortably. “Uh, yeah. It took a while to heal, my legs were paralysed for a while.” At Thalia’s wide-eyed expression, she continued. “I’m fine now, nothing to worry about. I’m sorry about your brother, Thalia. I had no idea.”

Thalia kissed her shoulder. “It’s okay. I think losing you would’ve been harder, you’ve been my family longer than he was. Was Calypso nice?”

“Wonderful.” Annabeth moved back to her own bed, closing off. She felt bad, but the mixture of unfounded jealousy that needed to simmer back down and guilt from hiding the truth made her feel too nauseous to speak. Thalia had confided in her a secret which she’d kept for her entire life, something that undoubtedly had plagued her for years, and Annabeth was lying to her face about where she’d ended up.

They lapsed into silence, and eventually Thalia was snoring, draped sideways across her bed. Annabeth kicked off her shoes and stared up at the silver tent fabric, waiting for sleep to claim her.

**Sixty Three Years And Nine Months Later**

Jungles, it turned out, had a variety of both wide open spaces and thick, tangled underbrush that it was almost impossible to safely climb through. Annabeth knew that her legs were probably scratched and bloodied from the thorny vines and snagging branches and tiny vipers on the jungle floor, but with Percy’s hands gripping her waist and his lips on hers, she didn’t care all that much. The bark of a tall tree, slung with vines and thick with an overgrown canopy, provided most of the shelter for their brief moments alone, the heavily wooded area a perfect hiding place from the clearing where the camp was set up.

Their lips disconnected momentarily; Percy was dizzy and grinning, his pupils blown and enticing. With renewed passion, she flipped him around, pinning him against a nearby trunk as he swept her in closer, holding her tight against him. It was dangerous, thrill-seeking, and it felt _amazing._

The underbrush rustled, slightly louder than the interruptions they’d gotten used to - namely, jungle creatures making their way around. Leaves crunched underfoot, and Annabeth scrambled to put her cap on, disappearing into the wilderness. Percy turned away from where they’d previously been standing, walking a few paces as if looking for something.

“Percy?”

He turned, as did Annabeth, thanking her lucky stars she was invisible. Thalia looked disgruntled, leaves sticking out from her hair and a scratch from a low branch on her face. 

“Thalia! Is your camp nearby? I’m meant to be looking for Artemis.”

She stopped in front of her, brushing herself down. “Huh. I’m looking for Annabeth. She said she was going for a walk, see if she could find a stream and maybe contact Grover, but we need her back here like, right now. You haven’t seen her?”

Annabeth had to give it to him, Percy had always been good at saving face. He shook his head. “I’ve not seen anyone. I thought I was in the wrong jungle, honestly.”

“Kelp head.” Thalia rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m glad to know she’s not here. It would be really stupid of her to, say, use her invisibility cap as a way to sneak around and break an oath to a goddess that she made which, as I know she’s aware of and you should be too, is known as one of the most vengeful goddesses amongst the Olympians. She’s not that stupid, I assume.”

Percy clenched his fists. “She’s not stupid at all. Don’t call her that.”

The protectiveness in his voice made Annabeth’s heart flutter, but Thalia just eye-rolled a second time. “Blah, blah, you love her, we know. She loves you too, which is why I was concerned. Anyway, let me know if you see her, it’s pretty important that I find her.”

“I will.” He replied. “Is everything okay?”

“With the gods?” Thalia shrugged. “No. As I’m sure you’re aware too, though none of us know why. See you around, Jackson.”

She trudged off, cursing under her breath as she trampled through the underbrush. Once she was safely out of sight, Annabeth took off her hat and turned to Percy, her mind racing.

“I guess I should let you get back to your actual job, huh,” She teased, only half serious. “I’m sure you didn’t come all this way just for me.”

He responded by cupping her chin and pulling her in for a lingering kiss.

“Mm, maybe not entirely. But why do you think I said I’d pass on the message?” He kissed her again, and then gently pushed her away. “Go on, go. I don’t know what the message I’m sending is even supposed to mean. You go find out why they need you so badly, and I’ll follow a bit behind.”

They were careful, methodical, sure to not be seen by anyone. Annabeth directed Percy towards where the Huntresses were set up so that he could reach Artemis without any suspicion, whilst she followed the direction Thalia had been heading towards, strategically veering off certain paths in order to orchestrate them bumping into one another. When it worked - she silently prided herself on almost always succeeding - she feigned surprise.

“Thalia! Are you okay?”

Thalia wiped a drop of blood from the small cut on her face and nodded. “I’m fine. Did you find any streams?”

She shook her head. “Nah, though I did find some remnants of old jungle temples so I might check those out in some more detail later. Were you looking for me?”

“Yeah.” Thalia’s face was grim. “I don’t think you’ll be looking for any temples anytime soon. Your mother’s here.”

Almost instantly, her blood turned to ice. A much younger Annabeth had totally idolised her mother, but every interaction she’d had with the goddess of wisdom had always been somewhat sour - she was disapproving or cold, and managed to praise Annabeth and then discourage and disdain her loved ones in the same breath. She’d never felt quite comfortable around Athena the same way, for example, Percy had felt around Poseidon. Her relationship with Athena more closely mirrored Clarisse’s with Ares, or Thalia’s with Zeus. 

“My mother?” She asked uneasily. “Does she want me for something?”

“That much was clear.” Thalia told her, forging a new path ahead so they could return faster. “In fact, that was the only part that was clear. I have no idea what’s going on.”

When they got back to the camp, the Huntresses were gathered in a silvery circle around the campfire, oddly resembling a fairy ring. In the middle, Percy, Athena and Artemis were talking, although none of them appeared to be saying very much. Artemis looked troubled and pained, as if she were ill, and Athena was glaring at nothing. Percy met her eyes and his face said everything: _I have no idea what’s going on._

The Huntresses parted for Thalia and Annabeth; either that or they saw the intensity of Athena’s gaze when she spied Annabeth approaching, and wanted to avoid being petrified by her stare. Annabeth herself felt like she wanted to curl up into a ball and hide, but putting on a brave face as she’d long learned how to do, she steeled herself and walked closer with her head held high.

“Athena.”

The goddess faced her, a pillar of fury. It was disconcerting how similar their eyes were, a raging, stormy grey that sent waves of fear right through her. Briefly, she wondered if her own gaze had ever been so terrifying, but then her mother spoke, “Hm. A respectable goddess, that was Athena. Not _this._ ”

She gestured to herself in disgust. “No, this is hardly worthy of such a name. I was bastardised by them. Desecrated. That’s why they’re the enemy.”

Annabeth wracked her brain, but all her of Greek knowledge camp up short. “What enemy? Who are you?”

“A scorned deity. They destroyed me, Annabeth, don’t you know that? My legacy crumbled because of them. They renamed me and made me into _this_. Don’t you think it’s shameful?”

“Why are you here?”

“For revenge.” Venom dripped from her every word. “Annabeth Chase, daughter of _Athena._ Why, I have no daughters, but _she_ does. Centuries of sons and daughters, all of them failures. I’m sure you will prove no different, but it must be done. Hold out your hand, _hero._ Let me see if you’re worthy enough to avenge what was stolen from me.”

Without hesitation, Annabeth held out her hand towards her mother. Inwardly, she was completely terrified, having no idea how to engage with the woman before her, but her arm remained steady, the confidence and adrenaline keeping her still. Percy was nearby, and oddly, that was enough for her to feel slightly more at ease. She could hold her own just fine, even when faced with this conundrum of a goddess, but it always helped when he was fighting in her corner.

“Annabeth’s not a failure.” Percy warned her, just as defensive as he had been with Thalia. “She’s my friend, and in all the years I’ve known her, she’s never once failed me.”

Athena - or whoever she was - didn’t even turn her head. “Do not address me, _boy._ I speak only to the girl. Your hand, Annabeth.”

She grabbed her wrist, examined Annabeth’s outstretched palm, and then snorted. “Pathetic. I suppose you’ll have to try regardless. Here, a little gift.”

A silver coin landed in Annabeth’s palm, but it was totally blank. Her fingers curled around it and she turned it in the light, hoping something would appear, but nothing did.

“Just for your eyes. Avenge me or die, the choice is yours. Fail like your ancestors, and remain a nobody forever. Take back what was taken from me. Restore the honour _they_ stole.”

Annabeth slipped the coin into her pocket and swallowed nervously. Ideas were floating around her head, but she was far too afraid to give them any air time just yet. Instead, she simply nodded and said nothing.

Artemis, meanwhile, looked even more pained. Her appearance seemed to be flickering, but it was so slight that Annabeth wasn’t sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her or not. She rubbed her head vigorously, then gently touched Athena’s arm.

“Minerva, must the girl go?”

“They dishonoured me, Diana. Reduced me to nothing. They will pay for this insult, if the world doesn’t make them pay first.”

Above them, thunder boomed and rattled the sky. A few of the Huntresses shrieked and grabbed each other, and somewhere in the midst of her racing thoughts and thumping heartbeat, she made out Thalia’s voice calling for calm. 

“I have said all I have to say, Father.” Minerva directed at the sky. “And you - Dia- Artemis. I know the boy has told you. You must come as well. Leave this place.”

Artemis - or Diana - nodded gravely. She exchanged a few words with Thalia, who straightened, and then gave a warning, “Avert your eyes, girls.”

There was an almighty flash, and they were gone. Left in the middle of the circle was a bewildered looking Percy, a similarly baffled Annabeth, and Thalia, who thankfully seemed calm and resolute, if a little solemn. Instantly, the girls broke out into a confused clamour, which Thalia quickly silenced with an authoritative, but less than professional, “Oi!”

“Huntresses, to your tents please. Tonight has been weird, but everything’s gonna be okay. We just need to retire for now, and we’ll leave in the morning after I’ve explained as much as I’m aware of.” When the girls started to disperse, she looked at Annabeth. “You stay. Obviously. And him, too. We gotta talk about something.”

There was a look in Thalia’s eyes that was difficult to identify, but Annabeth did her best. For the first time in a while, she was noticing just how much Thalia had dealt with - she had the look of a young girl facing the world alone, the weight of everyone’s expectations on her shoulders, sobering her youth. Annabeth was reminded of her sister, her friend, the girl who died once and lived twice, immortal, a lieutenant to a goddess and the master of her own fate. 

“I’m in charge while Artemis is gone.” She spoke quietly, keeping her voice low so none of the other Huntresses heard. Percy gathered to listen. “She didn’t say what’s going on, but something isn’t right. They’re being recalled to Olympus.”

Percy nodded. “That’s what I’ve been told, but with no explanation. There’s hardly any contact with the gods at all right now. And I hate to insult anyone, but Athena seemed…”

“Weird.” Annabeth supplied. “Scattered. Something about Minerva and Diana? Those are just the Roman names for them. It doesn’t make sense.”

“Nothing does.” Thalia said grimly. The friendliness and goofiness had faded from their usual exchanges, and now the three of them stood seriously, brows furrowed, feeling ominously like a council of war. “And whatever she gave you, I don’t know if I like it. Something weird is afoot. Can we see it?”

Annabeth pulled out the drachma, but as before, it was blank. “I think I’ll know more once I look at it alone, but either way I’m gonna need to do some research.”

“And you can’t do that here.” Thalia finished. “Jackson, she has to go with you. To Camp Half-Blood.”

“Thalia-”

“Annabeth, I’m the Lieutenant. I have to make the decisions that I think Artemis would make. In this case, I think you have to go with him, talk to Chiron, see what happens. It sounds like she issued you a quest of some kind, but you need more information and you can’t do any of it from here.” She paused, and turned to Percy. “Look, Jackson. I’m sorry about earlier, okay? I trust you, I know you wouldn’t sneak around with her or anything like that. I was just worried about her.”

Percy accepted the apology quietly - neither of them were quite comfortable with the fact that Thalia had hit the nail on the head, even if she wasn’t actually suspicious of them at all. 

“You don’t have to worry about me, Thals.”

Thalia softened. “I’ll never not worry about you, Chase. Sometimes I have dreams and you’re still seven years old and invading my sleeping bag for warmth. I can’t help wanting to protect you even if I know you can look after yourself just fine. With that in mind, Jackson, get her there safe. She can stay in Cabin Eight until we know more. Keep in contact with me, keep me updated.”

“Of course.” Percy looked pensive. “Annabeth, are you staying the night here? Or should we leave as soon as possible?”

He was looking at her, of course, but so was Thalia. In the midst of everything, all the confusion and secrecy, Annabeth wanted to laugh. Decades later, as an immortal Huntress and a literal god, they couldn’t quite bring themselves past the innate rivalry of being a daughter of Zeus and a son of Poseidon. Neither would defer to the other, so naturally they deferred to Annabeth.

Not that she was complaining about that, of course.

“I don’t think staying is a good idea,” She decided, Thalia pulling a face but conceding. “My mom isn’t the type to keep waiting. It’s probably safer for everyone if I just get whatever she wants done as quick as I can.”

She made her way into their tent to gather her things, catching the start of Percy’s sentence, “I don’t like the sound of all this avenging stuff,” before the two were out of earshot. With a surprising amount of difficulty, Annabeth collected her belongings, of which there were few, and then sat down heavily on her bed, the backpack hugged to her chest. 

There wasn’t enough time physically to go through all of the reasons why Annabeth felt like shit - having yet another home and family be temporary, sneaking around to hide the person she loved from her close friends, being rejected and simultaneously singled out by her mom - it all sucked. Still, like always, she compartmentalised, and shoved it to the back of her mind. There were bigger things to think about, after all. 

After a moment’s consideration, she pulled the coin out of her pocket and studied it. No longer blank and smooth, on one side it displayed a sinister-looking owl, Athena’s symbol, and on the other side, an etching on Athena’s face, as often presented on ancient statues and artworks. Annabeth stared at it, dread creeping up her throat, but refused to let her thoughts voice themselves. This was an issue she could handle some other time.

She flashed a brief smile as she exited the tent, coin safely tucked away back in her pocket. Her mind tried to wander to anything else, but it grew burning hot against her skin, forcibly reminding her of its presence in her life, already trying to screw things up. She fought down the urge to toss it as far as she could into the underbrush.

“I’m ready.”

Thalia clapped a hand to her shoulder in support, then turned to Percy with an unusually soft gaze. “Look after her, Jackson.”

“I don’t need looking after,” Annabeth responded instantly, Thalia predicting her response and perfectly lip-syncing her words.

“I know, I know,” She relented, “But he’s a god. I’d rather his life was on the line than yours. You lost me once, but I know I’m not strong enough to lose you.”

Overcome, Annabeth brushed Thalia’s hand from her shoulder and enveloped her in a tight hug, blinking back tears. Thalia rubbed her back gently with one hand, the other toying with the loose curls escaping her braid, and Annabeth felt like she was seven years old, cuddled and soothed by her big sister. In the moment, she wanted nothing more than to cry until all of her anxieties were gone, but she knew that wasn’t really an option. 

Straightening, she gave a weak smile as Thalia kissed her forehead. “Okay, kiddo. Go make us proud, yeah? Stay alive and come back to me. Jackson, it’s on your head now.”

Ever good-natured, Percy smiled. “Of course, Thals. Annabeth—” He took hold of her wrist, careful to avoid clasping her hand. “Hold on to your stomach, okay? It’s a little rough the first time.”

Before she could ask what he meant, the world flashed and disappeared.


End file.
